Harry Potter and the New Neighbours
by udderpd
Summary: Harry arrives home after his eventful fifth year to find that Number 2, has been sold. This is HP.HG and it is very fluffy. Chapter 12 the End Game the final confrontation and some hints of a possible sequel. COMPLETED
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six.

**Harry Potter and the New Neighbours. **

**Chapter 1 **

It was Friday evening and his first night back in Privet Drive after his almost totally disastrous fifth year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The number one disaster of the year was the death of his godfather, although he had reached the point of mentally shedding the blame from himself and sharing it between Voldemort, Bellatrix Lestrange, Kreacher, Snape and Dumbledore. The amount of essential information that had been withheld from him made him believe that they were lucky only to loose his godfather and not the whole blasted war. He had no intension of apportioning the blame and until the Headmaster gave him a cast iron valid reason to think otherwise then Snape was an enemy.

The number two disaster was 'Toad Woman' and he refused even to contemplate that evil, obnoxious, horror.

The number three on his list that defined his less than wonderful year was Arthur Weasley who had been bitten by a snake and had very nearly died from the poison.

Next was his totally unfair lifetime ban from playing Quidditch…

He was startled from his melancholy preoccupation by a raucous scream from his aunt downstairs so Harry went to join the Dursleys at the dining table for dinner.

In the middle of the meal uncle Vernon pompously said, "You two are to behave yourselves impeccably this summer. New neighbours have moved into number two next-door, they are both dentists and very well to do. So if either of you two spoil the good impression we have made, then god help you. As for you Potter, I have arranged for you to have a job with them, seven days a week, for the whole of the summer, you better pray that those…those people of yours don't interfere. So you have to be at their house before seven thirty every morning."

Harry had noticed that his uncle had become extremely nervous when he had mentioned the order members but he was feeling to morose to take much joy from it. Or to feel very much one way or the other about his uncle's carte-blanche scheduling of his whole summer without consulting anybody, anyway it wasn't him that needed keeping under control it was Dudley who was the trouble maker.

The weight of the prophecy and the death of his godfather were dragging him down.

x-x

Early the next morning Harry, dressed in the best fitting of Dudley's old clothes, finished his breakfast of a cup of tea and one slice of toast, then, very lethargically, he went to knock on the door of number two. The time was just before half past seven.

A man who was only slightly taller than Harry answered the door, he looked vaguely familiar and with a small smile he said, "Good morning. You must be Harry, come in for a few minutes we are just finishing breakfast."

Harry stepped into the hall and closed the front door behind himself, as he turned around his face was buried in bushy brown hair and his neck was subjected to an enormous hug.

"Hermione," he said, inhaling her unique aroma and making no effort to move away, "what…what are you doing here?"

She released him slightly and stared smiling into his emerald eyes, "Isn't it marvellous. Mum and dad told me that the Headmaster had recommended that for safety's sake they should move, but right next door to you it's almost to good to be true. I wanted to visit you yesterday evening but they made me wait until you came this morning. Have those people fed you? What did you have for breakfast? What d…"

"Hermione you have to breathe sometime and let the poor boy breathe, he doesn't want you smothering him. You could let him answer your questions as well." A woman who looked like a thirty-year-old version of his very best friend and was obviously Hermione's mother said with a grin.

Harry had started cuddling Hermione back and it was with great reluctance that she released him saying, "So what did you have for breakfast?"

He answered, "I have had a piece of toast and a cup of tea, so I am all right thanks," and then very quietly he added, "and I really like you cuddling me."

Hermione was blushing prettily at his last comment but she was having none of his _'I'm all right'_ after only one slice of toast for breakfast, "Well we have at least enough bacon left over for two sandwiches and I am sure that we have some HP Sauce, that you are always complaining we don't get at Hogwarts, so you will just have to eat it up for us."

She took his hand and led him through and sat him at the table in the kitchen breakfast room.

"But I am supposed to be working." Harry said smiling.

"Well your first job is to eat up all of this spare bacon before it gets cold," said Hermione's mum, smiling as well, "and we don't actually have any work for you to do today, but your friend seems to think that you might like to go shopping for some clothes."

Harry said, "I would love to get some new clothes but I would need to go to Gringotts to get some money first."

"There is no need for that," her dad said, "we will need some Galleons when Hermione has to buy her school books and things, so you can give the money back to us then. Or if you would prefer we could take it out of your wages?"

Harry had a big grin on his face, "This job will really be alright if you are going to pay me to eat bacon sandwiches and go clothes shopping."

Everybody was laughing and there was a knock on the back door that Hermione answered.

It was Tonks who said, "Hi everyone, I think that the answer to every witches dream wants to do some shopping?"

Tonks came in and Hermione's mum said, "Your hair was bright pink yesterday, did you dye it last night?"

"Hermione does your mum know about Tonks?" asked Harry.

"I don't think so," Hermione replied, "what are you allowed to show them Tonks?"

"I'm not really supposed to show them anything unless I am forced to, but there is no strict rule against it." She replied.

"I will just have to force you then. Won't I?" Harry said with a cheeky smile.

"Me being a fully trained Auror and all, just how do you expect to force me?"

"How about if I promised to call you by your first name for the whole of the summer if you don't show them?"

"Now that is just plain cheating." Tonks hair became bright green and grew six inches longer and her 'B' cup boobs became 'DD' almost splitting her 'T' shirt. She followed this by becoming a little old lady.

The Grangers were totally amazed and Tonks explained to the pair all about her being a Metamorphmagus, she explained that it was very useful also a very rare gift, but it makes it difficult getting a steady boyfriend.

"Why's that Tonks?" Asked Harry sounding very concerned.

"Well as soon as most guys realise that I can make myself look like almost anyone else," she said, "then all they seem to want is a fantasy date and they don't want to know me."

"You poor thing." Harry said, "I would never of thought of that, what's inside is so much more important than what you look like on the outside."

Hermione put her arms around Harry's neck, kissed him on the cheek and then looking deeply into his eyes very sincerely she said, "Now you know why I love you so much Harry Potter."

Harry had turned bright red and he looked completely confused.

Tonks broke the tension, "Before we go anywhere both of you give me your wands a minute."

The pair handed over their wands and Tonks cast a spell on each of the wands in turn, it caused them to glow bright pink, then she told them, "Amelia Bones, she's my boss the head of the Aurors, told me to remove the underage tracking spell from your wands, so now if you do magic you won't be getting a letter from Malfalda Hopkirk, at the Underage Use of Magic Office. Also take these Portkeys," she gave each of them what looked like a dark blue pocket-handkerchief, "if you hold it and touch it with your wand it will carry you and anyone else who is touching either you or the key to a safe room in the Auror Headquarters." She next turned to the senior Grangers, smiled and said, "Right, where are we going?"

Mrs Granger was the first to recover and she said, "Well, Matt has some paperwork to do at our office which is in Croydon, the surgery is in the middle of the main shopping precinct so we can go shopping near by. I thought that the first thing we should do is buy each of you a Mobile Phone then we can all keep in touch if we get separated and no doubt the two of you will want to talk in the evenings when Harry goes home. I can't imagine those dreadful Dursleys allowing him to use the phone even if someone else is paying for the call."

"It's still only quarter to nine so let's go to the office," Dan said, "we can carry on this conversation in the car."

Hurriedly Tonks said, "I have one more thing to do before we leave, can we go to your bedroom please Hermione?" Two minutes later they were back down and she continued. "I have just made half of a reusable Portkey, I will make the other half somewhere out of sight in the office in Croydon. Let's go."

Their trip to Croydon took just over an hour and they chatted all of the way, when they arrived Dan parked in a dedicated space right outside the back door of the surgery, they climbed out of the car then they all went into the building.

Mr Granger showed Tonks a little used storeroom just inside the back door and they decided that it was an ideal place for the other end of the reusable Portkey, which took the form of a small _'disillusioned'_ dictionary.

She handed it to Harry and told him, "To activate it you touch it with your wand and it will carry you to Hermione's bedroom, you had better test it, it will bring you back here if you touch it with your wand again."

Hermione touched the Portkey just before Harry touched it with his wand and the pair of them disappeared.

As the pair arrived in Hermione's bedroom she took the Portkey off him and put it on the very large desk in her bedroom, she turned and put her arms around his neck, "I have been wanting to get you on your own for ages." She said just before she commenced trying to kiss him senseless.

The next twenty seconds were possibly the longest of either of their lives so far.

Hermione's twenty seconds went something like, _kiss me back, Kiss me back, Kiss Me Back Please, KISS ME BACK POTTER OR I WILL HEX YOU INTO NEXT WEEK, He's Kissing Me Back, PARADISE. _

Harry's twenty seconds went, _what's she doing, Hermione's kissing me, does this mean that she likes me? Of course it does you idiot, I had better kiss her back then or she might not do it again, I really like this, HEAVEN._

About a minute later there was a pop and Tonks voice said, "Oh sorry." Then there was another pop.

Another minute down the time line two voices said, "That was definitely the best thing ever."

They were both looking squiffy eyed and Harry said, "Does this mean that we are dating? Was that Tonks?"

Hermione answered, "It had better Potter, I want a lot more of that. Yes, I think it was."

He was kissing her again, "Do you think that we should go back to …wherever?"

"Mmmm." Eventually she picked up the Portkey and touched it with her wand. Harry just held on to her and didn't stop kissing her, all in all she didn't appear to mind very much.

Her mother's voice was coming around the storeroom door which was almost closed, "…ell of course I've known she's liked him since first year, every letter is Harry this and Harry that. And this morning she has been coming on to him so strong…hello dears are you back? Did it work ok?" Hermione had opened the door.

The pair of them looked starry eyed and they were holding hands, Hermione answered, "Yes everything worked perfectly, shall we go shopping?"

Mr Granger said, "Hang on a minute Harry." He took fifty pounds out of his wallet and passed it to Harry saying, "You need some money in your pocket, that's about ten Galleons isn't it?"

"I really don't know sir," Harry answered, "I have never changed any Galleons for pounds but if you are happy with it then five pounds is one Galleon."

Three ladies and Harry went shopping, about an hour later they returned and Harry went into the backroom to change into some of his new clothes.

When he came out Tonks said, "I'm not to sure that the new clothes were such a good idea Hermione, now all of the girls are going to realise just how gorgeous he is."

Harry thought that Tonks had been joking. She hadn't. Quite a lot of girls were making passes at Harry and Hermione was getting agitated. Her mum pulled her to one side and said, "Calm down and just watch him."

So she did.

The girl was serving him with shoes, first she opened one extra button on her blouse then she undid another she went outside to bring another pair of shoes and when she came back another button was undone and her bra had vanished. She went out to find him another pair of shoes, when she came back this time she crouched down in front of him supposedly to help him try them on and her knees kept opening, her knickers had disappeared as well.

Harry didn't take any notice.

"Is he blind?" Hermione whispered.

"He only has eyes for you." Her mother sang.

"I bet that if you open one extra button he will notice." Tonks said.

"And don't try what she did unless you really mean it." Her mum added seriously.

Later Harry didn't see her do it but Hermione had opened one extra blouse button as they went into Burger King for lunch, "You two sit down and we will bring what you want." Mrs Granger said to Harry and Tonks.

Tonks and Harry sat down and Hermione bent over slightly to ask Harry what he wanted.

"I have never been in one of these places before so I don't know what they sell," he told her, "you know what I like so you choose," then he whispered quietly in her ear, "and I like the view."

As Hermione turned away her face was beetroot but she had the biggest smile her mum had ever seen on her daughters face, so her mother started humming again, _'I Only Have Eyes For You'_.

Mrs Granger's mobile phone rang at three thirty, it was Mr Granger telling them that he had finished, so they all went back to the surgery ready to go back to Little Whinging.

Tonks said, "I would much prefer it if Harry were always to travel using the Portkey. It is much safer for him."

The Granger's quickly agreed, so Tonks taught the kids a neat little charm that expanded the inside of a bag and making it so everything put into the bag only weighed five percent of its true weight. The problem with the charm was that it only lasted for a maximum of four hours and for witches and wizards of normal power it would only last for about an hour and a half.

First Tonks _Apparated_ to Privet Drive and then back to the surgery to give Harry and Hermione the all clear and they used the Portkey to Hermione's bedroom whilst her parents drove home.

Number two was a much larger house than number four. Upstairs it had five good sized bedrooms three with en-suit bathrooms the other two had en-suit shower rooms plus a family bathroom and a box room that was as large as Harry's bedroom in the Dursleys.

On the ground floor there was the kitchen breakfast room that Harry had already been in, a dining room and a very large lounge, there was also a study and a very large library, which Hermione assured him, was in urgent need of stocking.

Outside there was an attached double garage with electric doors, a completely sheltered heated swimming pool, a large patio with a barbecue pit and ample lawns and flowerbeds.

Hermione decided that Harry should have a bedroom with a shower because the door was directly opposite her bedroom door. They went into his room and christened it with a good kissing session then they put all of his new things away in the wardrobe and drawers, he wasn't going to let the Dursleys see any of his new things until after he should have been paid. The only new thing he was going to take to number four was his mobile phone because true to her word they had been the first thing that Mrs Granger had bought the pair of them.

A short while later Mr and Mrs Granger arrived home so Hermione explained what she had had Harry do with his clothes and her parents agreed that it had been a good idea.

"Would you like to stay for dinner Harry?" Asked Hermione's mum.

"I would please Mrs Granger, what can I do to help?" he replied.

"You don't have to do anything to help, just go and talk with Hermione and you don't have to keep calling us Mr and Mrs Granger you should call us Matt and Jane. That is unless we have victims in the surgery then it is probably best if you call both of us Dr Granger, does that sound alright to you?"

"It sounds fine thank you, Jane." He answered smiling as he went off with Hermione.

Later that night Harry was lying in his bed, he had just spent half an hour talking to the love of his life on his new mobile phone and he decided that even with Voldemort in the background life could still be worth living.

x-x

The next morning Harry knocked on the Grangers back door just before seven thirty and a few seconds later Hermione opened the door and threw herself into his arms and gave him a kiss.

"You can just knock and come in, in future, if you want to." She told him.

"Well if you are going to greet me like that every morning I would be a mug not to let you answer the door. Wouldn't I?"

Hermione's mum laughed, "He's got you their girl. You two just have time to get upstairs and change before breakfast, if you don't spend to much time canoodling."

"There is no such thing as spending to much time canoodling mother, you and dad still do it all the time." Hermione said as she followed Harry upstairs admiring his bum.

Harry changed into the clothes that had been laid out for him on the bed then he met Hermione on the landing and they did some canoodling until her mother called them.

"You were quick." Jane said.

"Well we got changed first then we did the kissing bit because we are good little boys and girls, we are." Hermione had a totally false sickly sweet smile on her face so her mum gave her a playful slap.

Tonks, who had come in and was sat at the table, burst out laughing, she said, "So what are we doing today?"

"This appears to be highly confidential information to which we are not privy." Hermione said sounding slightly aggrieved.

Jane started serving breakfast as Matt came in and said, "Have you ever been on a boat Harry?"

"Only with your daughter Sir." He replied, having forgotten about the trip to a little island for his eleventh birthday.

Hermione said, "Mum told you to call them by their names and when have you been in a boat with me? Oh I remember the rowing boats at the beginning of first year, he doesn't mean those sort of boats but bigger ones."

"They weren't rowing boats they were powered by magic," he said, "and they were the only boat's I have ever been on, it was nice, I was with you."

"Just how long have you liked me? Harry Potter."

He blushed and replied, "I would of thought that the answer to that question was a bit obvious."

She said, "Mine started Halloween first year."

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." Harry said in a high-pitched bossy voice.

"The first words I ever spoke to you." Hermione turned a pretty shade of pink and had a lovely smile on her face.

Her father interrupted them saying, "As interesting as your historical dialogue is, I had asked one of my colleagues if it would be possible to borrow his boat for the day, unfortunately it is being serviced. So it was just an academic question as to whether or not Harry had been on a power boat before?"

"I am afraid that the answer to that is no Matt, as charming as your neighbours are, their remit didn't include taking me any further than Sainsbury's car park and then only when there would be a lot of groceries to carry." Harry answered.

Hermione said, "So what are we going to do then? It would be nice to go swimming but the neighbours might see us. We wouldn't like your aunt and uncle to get the impression that we were overworking you, would we?"

Tonks suggested, "Well I should be able to cast a 'false illusion' charm over the back garden so no one will recognise who it is in the garden. It's fairly sheltered anyway."

"Wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Just a couple of slight problems," said Harry, "I don't have a swimming costume and I can't swim."

"Brilliant," Hermione said excitedly, "we bought you a bathing suit yesterday, didn't you notice and I would really enjoy teaching you to swim."

Hermione teaching Harry to swim was something they both enjoyed, all the wet skin contact, tangled legs and occasional canoodling was a good way for the pair of them to spend the day. Harry had probably learned to swim in the first half an hour, but who was he to object to Hermione 'helping' him for the rest of the day.

Harry was wearing his new swimming shorts and Hermione had on a very conservative dark blue one-piece swimsuit although the legs were very high cut. She told him that she had to wear this costume to hide the scar although she still had some potions to take for the next three days, after that it would be gone and she would be able to wear her new pale lemon bikini.

Lying in bed that night Harry thought that he was about as happy as he could ever remember being, even though he had seriously reduced the level of number two's swimming pool with all of the water he had swallowed and he hadn't even been thirsty.

He had the promise of Hermione in her bikini in a few days and if he had understood her hints correctly even less for his birthday in a few weeks, the thought of that as a possibility was almost unbelievable.

Later in the afternoon they had agreed that they should tell Ron that they had become a couple and asked him to pass the news on to Ginny, they spent a couple of hours writing him a long letter, which Harry had sent with his owl Hedwig. The couple of hours was the time they had spent in Hermione's room, at the most only half of it had been spent writing Ron's letter although her bedroom door had been open all of the time.

So he drifted off to sleep to dream of wet skin, sparkling golden-brown eyes and joyful laughter.

**Authors Note;** Should this be a 'One Shot' or should I continue it on until the end of the summer holidays? Whatever it will be very fluffy.

**PLEASE REVIEW. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six. Harry Potter and the New Neighbours. 

**Authors Note.** As you can see, your overwhelming response has convinced me to continue with this story and I hope that you all enjoy the continuation it. I will try to update once a week on Friday afternoons that is Friday afternoon in the U.K.

**Chapter 2. The Bikini. **

Petunia Dursley wondered if she should be suspicious, her dratted nephew had gone off before seven-thirty this morning happily whistling. She thought that it sounded like _'I Only Have Eyes For You,'_ that's a bit before his time isn't it?

Her first thought was should she tell Vernon, he is not supposed to be happy, if she told Vernon he would start to make a scene and it wouldn't be long before the freaks would come around checking up on Harry. She decided that she wouldn't tell Vernon, she didn't really care if the scruff was happy or not and if she said nothing to the fat lump at least she would have a peaceful life for a while.

As Harry stepped through the back door of Hermione's house two owls entered with him. One was Hedwig but she went over to Hermione because the letters she had from Ron and Ginny were addressed to both of them, even more important Hermione had bacon. The other owl departed as soon as Harry removed the official looking letter it was carrying, strangely, this also was addressed to the pair of them.

Tonks greeted everyone as she followed Harry through the door.

He sat down next to his love and gave her a good morning kiss, as she was feeding bacon scraps to Hedwig he opened the unexpected letter that turned out to be from Gringotts Bank.

"It's from Gringotts but why is it addressed to both of us?" he pondered.

"Well if you read it, perhaps we would find out. Oh love of my life." Hermione said with a cheeky smile and fluttering her eyelashes, so she received a playful slap for her effort.

Harry read the letter out to Hermione and the others.

_For the attention of Mr H. J. Potter and Miss H. J. Granger,_

_The presence of Mr Harry James Potter is required in the Estates and Trusts Department of Gringotts Wizarding Bank on Thursday the forth of July at 10.00 a.m. on the occasion of the reading of the Will of Mr Sirius Black. _

_It is also required that you be accompanied by your Wizard World Guardian. _

_You are requested to bring Miss Hermione Jane Granger with you, as she is also a beneficiary under this Will. _

_At your pleasure you may be accompanied by any other such persons as you wish. _

_Yours truly,_

_Raggnog. _

_Chairman and Head of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. _

"Wow!" said Tonks, "I have only ever heard of letters like that I have never actually seen one."

"It's worded a bit strangely but what is so special about it?" Jane asked.

"Well," said Tonks, "it's the fifth line mainly, you never get an open invitation to bring whoever you like and the line above is unusual as well. By rights Hermione should have received her own letter and you two wouldn't then be invited, but this way Harry can bring Hermione's parents with her, so we can all go. You must be the major and I mean like five million plus major beneficiary because we are going to see Raggnog and no one sees Raggnog, he's like the leader of all of the Goblins not just the bank."

"So who is my Wizard World Guardian?" Harry asked as they were all eating their way through breakfast. "Have you any idea Tonks?"

Tonks mused, "You can't actually have a proper one at the moment, so it's probably Dumbledore, you were in school when Sirius died so the headmaster would automatically take over temporarily. Because of your age they can't appoint an official one without your consent, so basically you get to choose and it is normally a man."

"Would you like the job Tonks?" he asked.

"Yes I most certainly would, but I told you they prefer a man."

"So if they were given the choice between a woman and a werewolf, which do you think they would pick?" Harry asked with a cheeky grin. "Or could the pair of you do the job jointly?"

"The Goblins will really love you," she said with a big grin of her own, "they are always complaining about Wizard World restrictive practices, it should be fun and if you are prepared to settle for either Remus, me or both then they will have to deal with it."

Matt suddenly said, "Hey, were running late."

"Just go on." Hermione said, "We will wash up then clean around and if you phone us when you arrive we will come straight away."

Jane and Matt hurriedly left to go to work and Tonks went to do a security check of Privet Drive, Hermione and Harry set about clearing the table then washing and drying the dishes.

As they were working Harry asked, "Why did your mum and dad offer me a job seven days a week, they don't seem to have very much work for me to do?"

"I think that it was mainly because I asked them to try to help get you away from the Dursleys," she told him, "although I didn't realise that we would be living next door to each other at the time and I didn't really think that they would be able to organise it. You don't mind being stuck with me seven days a week do you?"

"Well," he said, looking serious, "I suppose that you are a little better than Dudley and the Dursleys."

"And I suppose that I asked for that fishing for compliments, bu…" she couldn't finish because he was kissing her.

When their lips parted he said, "I have to go up and change and we still have Ron and Ginny's letters to read. You can read them out to me whilst I am changing."

The couple made their way upstairs and Hermione was admiring his bum as he went up, she sat on the floor of the landing as Harry went into his room to change, she started to read out Ron's letter.

_Hi H. & H. _

_I think that is pretty cool, don't you? _

_So Hermione moved into the house next door to you and you used that as an excuse for you two to get together, you could of got to know each other a bit first do you really think that five years of finishing each other's sentences is long enough? I have known that you two have liked each other since the Troll, talk about slow. Congratulations, about time and all that sort of thing, Ginny and I won't tell anyone it's up to you two to decide when they should print a special edition of the prophet. _

_Enough about you pair, Luna and I had a date and it was great, we are having another one today, feels great. She is a really good cook and likes Quidditch, what more can a man ask for. By the way, I am sure that Luna could get it released in the Quibbler if you wanted, don't tell her that I said so but nobody would believe it if you did. _

_Ginny is being a pain over Dean, I've tried to tell her that he is a womaniser but she won't listen, how many girls has he been out with now, I counted seventeen? That's not including Ginny. _

_Bye for now, Ron._

"Well at least he is not mad with us." Harry said.

"And he's taken up with Luna, that's good, she'll be good for him." Added Hermione, "Ginny's letter next."

_Hi, You two, _

_Congratulations, well done and all that. I think that I have won the sweepstake, I picked the summer after OWLS in my first year. I think that I have won about two hundred Galleons don't tell Ron he had you pegged for sometime after NEWTS. _

_I have been teasing the prat something rotten about Dean and actually I have not been going out with him, I have been out with Neville a couple of times but nothing serious, he is really very sweet and I will kill Ron if he says anything out of place to him. _

_I don't need my brother to tell me that Dean is a womaniser I think that even all of the second year girls (from all of the houses) know what Dean is like. Ron only counted seventeen I counted twenty-three that I know about. _

_Congratulations again, love to you both, _

_Ginny. _

Harry said, "Just what does she mean that she has won two hundred Galleons betting on when we would get together."

Just then the phone rang and as Hermione went to answer it she said, "It appears that not everybody else has been as blind to our mutual attraction as we were."

She had reached the telephone and answered it. "Good morning." … "Ok we will come after we have locked up." … "Love you too, bye."

"I assume that was your mum?" Harry said.

"No it was Dudley, lets lock up." Hermione said and continued whilst opening the back door, "I wonder where Tonks is?"

There was a small pop and Tonks appeared, "I have just come from Croydon and it all appears to be clear, so I will go back and you follow in about a minute."

Tonks had come into the house and Hermione had shut and locked the backdoor behind her, then she said, "Ok bye then, we'll see you in a minute."

Tonks _Disapparated_.

The couple went upstairs this time Hermione went first, of course Harry admired her bum, they were soon in her room and they Portkeyed to the cupboard in Croydon.

It wasn't the same atmosphere in the surgery as it had been on Saturday, all of the lights were on and they looked like they were ready to receive patients.

"So what would you like me to do?" Harry asked Jane.

"Well we normally have two receptionists," Jane told him, "and this week Lauren is on holiday, next week Tanya, who is at the reception desk now, will be off. So we thought that you and Hermione could stand in for them, it won't be very demanding work but at least it will be something to stop you getting to bored. In three weeks time we will probably be going to France on holiday and if you want to, we would like you to come with us, do you have a passport?"

Harry was overjoyed, "I would love to go to France with you but I don't have a passport, if we ask in the bank on Thursday then someone there will definitely know where I will get one."

Hermione and Tonks had been listening and Tonks said, "The bank will probably give you one on Thursday if you ask them along with several other useful things. Is there anyone else you would like to take with you to the reading?"

"I would think that Remus would have his own invitation, is there anyone else you think I should take?"

Tonks thought for a minute and replied, "Remus, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Ron, Ginny and Dumbledore I know to have their own invitations. It could be a good move for you personally to invite my boss Amelia Bones although it may not please the Headmaster too much, if she comes she will be a hundred percent on your side, she is a stickler for the rules and she knows them backwards. It's your life and Dumbledore might not be very happy seeing you starting to take some control over it yourself, he is currently the executor of the 'Potter Trust' and he will have to relinquish that to your new Guardian or Guardians." She fluttered her eyelashes at him and received a playful slap from Hermione.

"I think that it could be a very good idea if your boss was to come to help me, could you ask her for me please and I've never heard of the 'Potter Trust', what is that?" Harry asked.

"Of course I will ask her for you Harry and there is no real reason you should know about the trust." Tonks said, "Remus told me that a very small part of it is what is in your vault, your parents left that bit to keep you going while you were in school. You will probably get the rest when you are seventeen, although you may well be allowed to use some of it before hand if your new Guardian approves." Her eyelashes were fluttering again.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a little girl crying so they went to the waiting room to investigate, Tanya was having a problem getting the little girl, who looked about seven, to come through into the surgery.

Harry crouched down in front of her and said, "My name is Harry what's yours?"

"Sniff…Helen…sniff." She said shyly.

Harry smiled at her and she tried to smile back through her tears, then he said, "Hello Helen, would you let me take you to see the dentist?"

"Will you hold my hand until I can come back to my mummy?" Helen asked.

Harry agreed to hold Helen's hand until she was back with her mother and so they went through to Matt.

Five minutes later Harry led Helen back to her mother and Helen said, "Please mummy can we take Harry home with us," then she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, "he's cute."

All five women had been talking in the waiting room and they all heard what the little girl had asked, they had great difficulty not laughing at Harry's embarrassment.

Hermione said, in a very kindly tone, "I'm sorry Helen but my mummy already promised me that I could take Harry home with me."

Helen's mother eventually persuaded her to leave without Harry and he knew that he was set up to be teased, he wasn't wrong.

Apart from Harry's teasing the rest of the day at the surgery was relatively uneventful.

When they reached home in the evening Harry suggested that the next morning he should go to Madame Malkins with Hermione and Tonks to buy some new robes to wear to the Bank on Thursday.

x-x

The next morning Tonks had arranged a Portkey to carry the three of them to Diagon Alley. It was timed to activate at nine o'clock and so at that time they went first to Gringotts, for Harry to get some Pounds and Galleons then they went to the shops.

Foolishly perhaps, Harry had thought that buying himself dress robes would be simple but, trying to satisfy three women, Mme Malkin had joined Hermione and Tonks, the task was destined to be anything but simple.

When they had finished he had to admit that the final result was good, the robes were very soft dark grey material, with a satin finish that shimmered emerald green although he refused everyone's urging to wear a hat.

It had taken over two hours to find Harry's robes, Hermione simply asked for the matching female set and was finished in twenty minutes, hers only had to be resized slightly. Tonks simply refused new robes saying that to such an occasion, she would have to wear her Auror Dress robes, however she added that come the next ball or party she would think about his offer.

Tonks managed to divert Hermione away from Flourish and Blotts bookshop by telling her that she should go there after Thursday, then she might well have enough money to buy one copy of each volume of everything they sold.

Hermione was walking on air, she had Harry and enough money to buy a bookshop, that was a close approach to her vision of paradise, but there was still the minor matter of Voldemort to be taken care of sometime in the future.

When the trio arrived back in Croydon, Jane immediately sent Harry to Vision Express the opticians because Hermione had asked her to book an appointment for him to get new spectacles.

Tanya was going to lunch and it was left to Hermione to sit in reception while she was away, this left Tonks and Harry to go to get his glasses without her. She was not too happy with this turn of events and told him that if she didn't like the new pair he would have to go and get some more. She then gave Tonks strict instructions about keeping other girls away from him and not to let the optometrist alone in the darkroom with him if she were female and under fifty.

His eye test showed that his prescription had changed noticeably, after all he had not had his eyes rechecked since he was ten and at school in Little Whinging. So he had to choose new frames, those he chose were brushed Titanium and circular, John Lennon style, a very similar shape to his old ones, albeit far more stylish, but their major advantage was that he could see with them.

To say that Hermione liked his new spectacles was a bit of an understatement, she loved them and when he told her that she looked twice as good through them she dragged him out to the cupboard by the backdoor.

Her mother found them there about three-quarters of an hour later and asked, "Have you had had lunch or are you trying to eat Harry?"

To which Hermione sheepishly replied, "He's my main course and desert."

Trying to keep a straight face Jane said, "Every summer you complain that his aunt starves him and now you are trying to do the same."

Hermione appreciated the truth of this observation when, much to his embarrassment, Harry's stomach gave a huge rumble, so they left the cupboard to find food together with Jane and Tonks.

x-x

The rest of Tuesday and Wednesday morning passed without incident.

After lunch on Wednesday Matt sent them home because it was very hot and Hermione thought that it would be a good idea to give Harry some more swimming practise.

It hadn't occurred to Harry that it was time for the bikini and the fact that it was a little pale lemon string affair took quite a while to register, what did register was skin, an awful lot of beautiful skin that was normally kept covered.

Hermione's scar was completely healed, she indicated, for him, with her finger where it had been and he knew it was completely healed. He had checked it out very carefully, several times especially where it had crossed her sternum between her breasts and he was checking that area out again now.

Hermione had never been checked out this way by a boy before, truth be told she had never been kissed before either, Viktor had tried to kiss her but she had never let him. Her first kiss was to be special and it had been. Now the ever so special boy who had given her, her first kiss was looking at her as though she was something special as well and Hermione (bookworm) Granger had to admit that she rather liked it.

"Do I pass inspection?" she asked in a husky voice, completely scrambling Harry's brain.

Eventually he managed to whisper, "Yes. You are more beautiful than any mortal has the right to be."

The pair had been standing at the edge of the swimming pool and when Harry said that Hermione threw herself at him kissing him and they both fell into the pool.

Tonks was getting worried, she had seen Hermione kiss Harry about a minute and a half ago when they fell into the pool and there had been no sign of them since. She went over to the pool to make sure that they were all right, as they bobbed to the surface they weren't gasping for breath they were still kissing, so she withdrew and left them to it.

Swimming a little and canoodling a lot is a pretty good way to spend an afternoon when you are in the company of the person you are in love with. In later years, when they were married, Hermione and Harry would remember this afternoon as one of the best they ever spent with their clothes on.

Later on they were lounging in each other's arms in the shallow end of the pool when Hermione said, "You were the first boy I ever kissed you know, I wish that I was the first girl that you ever kissed."

"You are the first girl I ever kissed."

"I can't be, you said that you kissed Cho."

"No I didn't," he said, "you said 'did Cho kiss you' and I said 'yes'. Then Ron asked 'what was it like' and I said 'wet', then I told you that she was crying and then Ron said perhaps I was a bad kisser but when I agreed you said that I wasn't. How did you know?"

She blushed, "I had dreamed of kissing you loads of times and it was never bad, not as good as the real thing mind but never bad. It was amazing that Ron didn't pick up on that more and he let it go so easily."

"I was stood under the mistletoe, defying the Nargles." She giggled at him. "Then Cho starts bawling her eyes out and comes up and kissed me. I was just stunned, I just stood there and didn't do a thing. Then she ran off I suppose back to the Ravenclaw common room and I came down to ours. The only date we ever had was that one on Valentines Day when first off she dragged me into Mme Puddifoots then proceeded to bawl her eyes out again and to tell me how Cedric used to bring her there. Then I really cheered her up by going to see you and Rita Skeeter in the Three Broomsticks. You know the rest of the story and I never kissed her, or anything."

Harry couldn't see her face but Hermione's had a small smile on it, without realising it at the time she had effectively put the kybosh on Cho and Harry's relationship. She couldn't honestly say that she was in any way unhappy about that, in fact she would do it again in an instant, if she had to.

She turned around in the water whilst deliberately maintaining her close contact with Harry and then she kissed him, 'accidentally' rubbing her boobs up his chest as she moved up towards his lips. He moaned into her mouth as she kissed him and she loved it, so you could learn a lot by reading that type of book, she would have to find some for Harry to read. Soon.

"Shall we go and have a shower and get dressed before my parents come home?" she asked.

"But I've got…" he stuttered.

"Well if you didn't have I would be a bit disappointed." She said, with a cheeky grin, "But I would prefer it if my dad didn't see quite what I've done to you."

He was shocked, "You, you did it deliberately?"

The couple were going back into the house and up to their rooms.

"Yes," she said, giving him another big grin. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Of course I did," he said. "But what are you going to do about it now you have made it like this?"

"Well," she said rather sheepishly, "I obviously have never done anything like this before and I didn't realise that it would work quite so well. I have read about some things that I can do with it but I didn't want to do any of them until your birthday, so can't you have a cold shower? Or something?"

Stopping between their rooms, they continued their conversation.

"I have heard Ron say that if you think about something really gross then it will go away. Snape in his underpants." Nothing happened. "I know." He thought of something else and it disappeared.

"What did you think about?" she asked.

"You don't want to know." He said with a really sick look on his face.

"If it's something really awful then I should really suffer as well, after all I did start it all off."

He closed his eyes and then with a shudder said, "Snape snogging Umbridge."

When he opened his eyes she had gone green, "I deserved that," she said, "and I am going to have a shower."

After they had showered and dressed themselves they met again on the landing where Harry gave Hermione a loving kiss, he thanked her for a lovely afternoon, then they made their way slowly down stairs.

It wasn't very long before Hermione's parents arrived home, they had brought Pizza and when they had all finished eating Harry went home for an early night, they would all have a busy day tomorrow.

x-x

**Authors Note.** I thank every one of you once more for all of the reviews for the first chapter. I will not threaten you again with stopping the story at this point but as any of you who write yourselves know, reviews certainly make the writing easier.

If you notice spelling mistakes it does not help me if you say 'I noticed some spelling mistakes'. I need to know what they are and if you want to I will always respond to an e-mail, check my FF. net homepage for the address.

**QUESTION TIME**; for this week's question, whom would you like me to include in the story? If you have Ron he will come with Luna (I will ignore her age) then you have the choice of any or all from; Ginny, Padma Patil, Susan Bones, Daphne Greengrass, Parvati Patil or add others at will, however I do think that this H & H are very one for one.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six. 

**Authors Note.** A big thank you to those of you who reviewed the last chapter and I hope that everyone enjoys this one.

**Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.**

**Chapter 3. Gringotts. **

As Harry relaxed in his bed the next morning he was extremely happy, his girlfriend, he liked the sound of that, the bushy haired bookworm had turned into a little minx and all things considered he loved it. Add onto that kissing in the swimming pool, it must be one of the best things ever and he just couldn't wait to…

His reverie was broken by a yell from his uncle, "If you don't move yourself Potter you are going to be late for work."

For a change his uncle was not being vindictive, he was right.

Harry jumped out of bed and dashed into the shower, fifteen minutes later he was heading out of the front door telling his aunt that it was his own fault that he had had no breakfast and nobody would blame her.

Of course Harry wasn't really in too much of a hurry so as soon as he disappeared from sight, around the back of number two he slowed down and started taking his time to walk to the back door. Hermione had been standing by the back door but as soon as he rounded the rear of the house she came to meet him and she gave him an amorous kiss, she put her arm around his waist and led him off for a walk around the swimming pool.

As they were strolling along Hermione said, "I heard your uncle bellowing at you this morning, was it a problem."

"No it was my own fault," he said, "I should have been up and dressed but I was lying in bed daydreaming about you, I even had to assure my aunt that it was my own fault that I didn't have any breakfast before I left. It serves me right for reading until one thirty in the morning."

"You were reading the book I lent you?"

"All of it."

"What did you think of it?"

"I can't wait for my birthday."

"Neither can I," she said smiling at him, she gave him a kiss and hugged him before they made their way in through the backdoor for breakfast.

x-x

At the same time as the couple were walking around the pool; in the kitchen Jane said, "I would of thought that you would make more of a fuss about a boy kissing our daughter?"

"Why? She hasn't opened a school book since she has been home," Matt answered, "and I can hardly accuse him of kissing her, she's like a tiger attacking him all the time but best of all she hasn't mentioned stocking the library since she set eyes on him. He has to be good for her and they've been best friends for five years so it's not like she's leaping into the unknown."

Jane chuckled, "The bookworm has become a tiger in heat," they both laughed, "anyway I think that she is safe enough with him, if anyone tried to hurt her I think that he would practically kill them, the stories she tells about him."

Thoughtfully Matt said, "He doesn't look like a hero does he? I will try to get him talking sometime about some of the things Hermione has told us and we better shut up now they're coming."

x-x

As the four of them were eating breakfast Tonks arrived in her Auror dress robes, they were purple satin with a golden cape, she had brightly polished dragon hide boots and today her hair was tidy but exactly the same colour as her robes.

"I like women in uniform," said Matt with a grin.

Jane retorted, "That wasn't what you said when that traffic warden gave you a parking ticket last week."

After some pleasantries Tonks told them, "I have a Portkey that will take us to the VIP waiting room near to Director Bones office, from there we have permission to take the direct Auror link to Gringotts Bank. She suggested that we should be as early as possible because she would like to talk to Harry about him dating her niece Susan."

"WHAT!" screamed Hermione, with a look of horror on her face.

Harry was looking confused, Jane had a small smile on her lips, she had been winked at by Tonks who herself was having great difficulty staying on her chair because she was laughing so hard.

"I'm so sorry Hermione," Tonks said still laughing, "You were listening so intently I just couldn't resist changing the last half dozen words. Actually she needs to talk to him about what he might want her to look out for on his behalf and I am sure that you will be in the room all of the time."

Hermione was trying to hide her smile behind a scowl as she muttered some threats about Tonks being paid back for what she had done, then she and Harry went up to their rooms to change into their new dress robes.

Jane was wearing a very smart navy blue suit but Matt was in his normal working clothes, they had patients with appointments at the surgery and they couldn't just leave it without a dentist in attendance.

Breakfast had been cleared away and Matt had gone off to work so the four of them used the Portkey to Amelia's waiting room.

x-x

Shortly after they arrived an Auror whom Tonks greeted as Geoff but neither Hermione nor Harry knew showed them all through to the Head of Magical Law Enforcement's office.

Director Bones greeted them all, she told the three of them that for today they were to call her Amelia, this of course did not apply to Tonks and then she said, "I have prepared these Permits for you two, they grant you permission to do magic even though you are underage, don't forget that all of the usual restrictions apply.

So Harry do you know what you might want me to do for you?"

Hermione and Harry first thanked the Director for the permits, then he said, "I am not entirely sure but there are a few people who seem to think that my life is theirs to do with as they please and frankly I am not to happy about it. Mainly it's Professor Dumbledore he treats me more like a chess piece than a human being and when he's done with me he puts me back in a box out of the way for the summer. Why does he have any say in what I do in the summer? As far as I know he isn't and never has been my guardian, I would like to have Tonks appointed my guardian. Also, if you think that it is necessary, I will pay your MLE office for her services and I realise that it will take someone very astute to stand up to the Headmaster."

"They would prefer a man to be your guardian." Amelia told him.

"I have been told that before so my next choice would be Remus Lupin," Harry said, "and after they reject him for being a werewolf, I am asking if I might use your name?"

Amelia had a small smile, "Why me?"

"Well they would have a bit of a job refusing you, wouldn't they?" Harry said with a grin, "And if they were to approve you and you don't want the job then we can throw Tonks back in their faces."

Director Bones laughed out loud as did the other three ladies, then she said, "If it gets as far as them offering me the job it might be best if I accept it and then immediately issue a Power of Attorney for Tonks to carry out all of the requirements of your Guardian on my behalf. Excuse me a minute."

She left the room and came back three minutes later, she handed Harry a piece of parchment for them all to read, it was a Power of Attorney for Tonks. Effectively it would give her freedom to do everything Harry's guardian could do for him and with the 'Potter Trust'; they all indicated their approval. Amelia took back the parchment and signed it, put it in an envelope then she put the envelope into her pocket and said, "I will give Tonks that if they appoint me as Harry's Guardian and we should be going now, we don't want to be late."

The five of them used a Portkey directly from Amelia's office to the Security office of Gringotts Bank and from there they were escorted to one of the executive conference rooms.

x-x

It was obvious the moment they walked into the room that the Headmaster was not pleased to see the Director of Magical Law Enforcement in Harry's party, especially since she appeared to be laughing at one of Hermione's mother's jokes. Jane had just told Amelia about the trick that Tonks had played on Hermione with regard to her niece Susan.

There were only two people in the room whom Harry did not recognise, one was a Goblin by the name of Grimnog who also introduced himself as Raggnog's assistant and the other proved to be a solicitor by the name of Mr Flattery.

Grimnog directed Harry's party to the right hand side of the conference table, sitting Harry next to a large empty chair at the head of the table, automatically Hermione sat next to him and then Grimnog said, "Mr Flattery the solicitor is here to establish the Guardianship of Mr Potter."

Harry spoke before anyone else had a chance, "Mr Flattery, why in particular are you the solicitor appointed with respect to my Guardianship?"

"For the last fifteen years our office has been handling the affairs of the Potter Trust, Mr Potter." He replied smarmily.

"And I assume," asked Harry, "that in a years time when I take control of the Potter Trust you would like to remain in the same position?"

"Yes sir." Mr Flattery replied in a much more respectful tone.

"Thank you for 'clarifying' that for me", Harry said, "please carry on."

Amelia thought, _he certainly put that slime ball in his place,_ _what on earth does he want me here for? Yes to help with Dumbledore he probably won't be so easy to intimidate. _

Mr Flattery said, "It is my duty to ask you Mr Harry James Potter, whom would you like as your Guardian?"

Immediately Harry answered, "I would like Auror Nymphadora Tonks to be my Guardian please."

It was an answer none of the others had been expecting and there was a stunned silence for a second or two, then the solicitor said, "We would prefer you to choose a man for the job."

"Remus Lupin." Harry said without preamble and Remus smiled at him.

"Remus Lupin is a werewolf," the solicitor said.

Molly asked, "Harry, what's wrong with Arthur?"

"Nothing at all Mrs Weasley." Harry said kindly, "But I will not have you and Mr Weasley arguing over something as inconsequential as my welfare. So if Mr Weasley swears me a wizard's oath that he will consult with you with regard to my welfare and not with Professor Dumbledore. Also you will similarly have to swear to me that you will consult with me with regard to my welfare and not with the Headmas…"

Arthur interrupted quietly, "I can't do that Harry."

Harry said sadly, "I didn't think that you would, but I wish some people would realise that it is my life.

The solicitor was struggling between a rock and a hard place, "What is wrong with the Headmaster having a hand in your Guardianship sir."

Harry had been waiting for a question like this, "Under his Headmastership I have faced Voldemort four times," most of the room cringed at the mention of the name, "Dementors twice, saving amongst others Snape and Sirius, oh and I had to kill a Basilisk to save another student." Ginny was blushing but smiling sweetly at her hero. "Excuse me if I don't believe that he holds my personal safety in very high regard."

Grimnog was sat in the corner franticly taking notes and the solicitor asked, "Is this all true?"

"I am afraid that it is," said the Headmaster, "and it is Professor Snape Harry."

Harry was on a roll, he knew it and he wasn't going to back down now, "I will call Snape by an honorific when someone gives me a valid reason to trust the hypocritical evil git." Hermione looked shocked but Ron was delighted. "Anyway we digress. I will give you one more name for my Guardian, Amelia Bones the Director of Magical Law Enforcement."

Dumbledore knew that he was done for, Bones was a powerful witch and she knew all of the rules, so he gave a small nod and Mr Flattery said, "Does anybody have any objections to Amelia Bones being Harry Potter's Guardian?" When there were no objections the solicitor looking relieved filled out some names on a form, he signed it then he touched it with his wand and it disappeared to the ministry to be registered.

As soon as the form was gone Amelia took the envelope out of her pocket and passed it to Tonks who put it in hers.

Hermione asked, with an all too innocent expression, "What was that Amelia?"

She gave her a cheeky smile and said, "It was a Power of Attorney Hermione and it will allow Auror Tonks complete freedom to act on my behalf in all regards as Harry's Guardian."

The Goblin in the corner laughed out loud, something none of them had ever heard a Goblin do before and Dumbledore knew that he was really screwed. Also to all intents and purposes Harry had exactly whom he had asked for as his Guardian in the first instance, except nowTonks was backed by the head of MLE, he couldn't even give her a rough time in the Order.

Still smiling Grimnog stood and said, "Chief Raggnog will be with you in about a quarter of an hour." Then he left.

Everybody stood up and Ginny came straight over to Hermione and they disappeared off into a corner whispering franticly.

Harry, Tonks and Jane first went over to Molly and Arthur they arranged to meet Molly after the Will had been read also the Weasleys assured Harry that they fully understood what he had had to do in order to gain some control over his own life.

Jane remained talking with Molly while Tonks went to the solicitor to get a synopsis of the Potter Trust for herself and Harry, whilst he went to chat with Hagrid, Remus and Ron who was full of news about his dates with Luna.

At the same time the Headmaster was talking to Director Bones and he was most surprised when he discovered that the whole thing hadn't been thoroughly rehearsed. He was even more impressed when told that only the 'Power of Attorney' was the onlycontingency had been pre-planned and that Harry had done all of the rest on the spur of the moment.

A little later Grimnog came back in and said, "Chief Raggnog will be with you in one minute." So all of the conversations died down and everyone moved back to their places.

When Raggnog came in he greeted everybody generally but the only person he greeted individually was Harry whose hand he also shook.

Then he said, "The matter of the last will and testament of Sirius Black.

To Miss Ginevra Molly Weasley, I leave the sum of twenty-five thousand Galleons, look after yourself you're an angel and please look after Harry.

To Mr Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave the sum of twenty-five thousand Galleons, remember that you can only ride one broom at the time.

To Rubeus Hagrid, I leave the sum of twenty-five thousand Galleons and I don't have to ask you to take care of Buckbeak.

To Miss Hermione Jane Granger, I leave the sum of twenty-five thousand Galleons and the whole of the Black family library.

Miss Granger, we have had to spend considerable time collecting the library together again, the books were as far apart as Hogwarts and Malfoy Manor and some of them had to be taken with force to be returned to their rightful owner's. Mr Black's note with the gift is, 'she's the only person I know who will enjoy reading them and Please look after Harry'.

The books are currently in a special high security book vault and if you wish they might remain there permanently, here is the key as a word of advice, some of the books are very valuable but more pertinent some of them are very dangerous, please be very careful with them.

To Professor Dumbledore, I leave the sum of one hundred thousand Galleons.

To Auror Tonks, (I was going to call you Nymphadora but I didn't aren't I good) I leave the sum of one hundred thousand Galleons and please look after Harry.

To Molly and Arthur Weasley, I leave the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand Galleons. I also ask you to look after Harry.

To Remus 'Moony' Lupin, I leave the sum of two hundred thousand Galleons and the house of Black.

I do not have any further details of the property but I do have this package of papers, which I have been asked to pass to you, and you also have been asked to look after Harry.

To Harry, (I've got more people looking out for me than you've had hot dinners,) James Potter, I leave the contents of this box which you are to open when you are alone and the residue of my estate. Take care of yourself kiddo and I almost forgot my flying motorbike it is in the garage at Moonie's and both he and Hagrid know how to operate it."

Raggnog handed Harry a brown box that was about four inches on a side and about two inches deep, it had a lid but no apparent lock or hinges.

Raggnog continued, "When it was checked yesterday Mr Potter, the residue of the estate was slightly over eleven and a half million Galleons, you must appreciate that this amount of money generates well over a million Galleons a year in interest. From this time onwards you will never be fully aware of exactly how much you are worth.

That concludes the reading of the will of Sirius Black."

The group sat there stunned for a minute and Raggnog said, "Is there anything the Bank can do for you Mr Potter?"

"Well you can call me Harry if you wouldn't mind."

"Certainly Harry." Raggnog replied smiling.

"There are some things that I would like and some things that I need, but mostly I need a Passport and I would like a means of accessing my money without coming to the bank all the time."

"Grimnog see to Mr Potter's request."

"Yes Chief." Grimnog said and he disappeared out of the door.

"I would like to ask some questions around the table first if you don't mind sir." The Chief Goblin nodded and Harry continued, "Amelia, is it possible and how much would it cost to assign an Auror to Hogwarts to teach Defence?"

She answered, "It is certainly possible and it would cost about fifty thousand Galleons a year, because we would have to train another Auror to replace whoever was assigned."

"Headmaster."

"Yes Harry."

"If I set up the 'Sirius Black Educational Trust Fund' for two hundred and fifty thousand Galleons a year, can you or would the governors ensure that part of it is used to fund the teaching of Defence?"

"The answer is yes and I am authorised to do it and thank you." Answered the Headmaster. "Also you could retain overall control of such a fund, as we both know there are several areas where the teaching could be greatly improved and several subjects we should introduce. But this is not the time or the place to go into that."

"Thank you Headmaster," Harry continued, "Chief Raggnog…"

The Goblin chief interrupted him, "Just call me Raggnog Harry, it's like me calling you Harry."

"Sorry I did not know. Raggnog can you arrange the funding for the 'Sirius Black Trust', please."

"Certainly I will Harry," as Raggnog answered Grimnog came back with a laden tray and the Chief continued. "Grimnog is one of my personal assistants and if at any time you need anything Harry you should call him, now unfortunately I must leave you all as I am very busy." He went around and shook everybody's hand, when he reached Jane shaking her hand he said, "I have never shaken the hand of a Muggle before, I thank you." Then having told Hermione once again to look after Harry he said goodbye for now to Harry whilst shaking his hand and left.

The Chief's big chair disappeared into the floor and was replaced by a normal one which was taken by Grimnog who said, "I have done what I think was required and I also offer my services to all three of the Bank's new customers. So Mr Ronald Weasley here is your vault key, Miss Weasley here is yours and Miss Granger here is your key and your Money vault is located next to your Library vault for your convenience.

Now Mr Potter your passport, you need to sign it here." Harry signed where he had been told then Grimnog touched it with his finger so that it was sealed and he handed it back to Harry. "Now some other things, this is a driving licence, it is for Muggle cars and motor cycles, I trust that you will have someone teach you properly before embarking on any solo jaunts and this is proof of insurance for whatever vehicle you are driving. You are probably aware that these are a Muggle Bank Card and Chequebook, you may use any four digits for the PIN number of the card because being enchanted, nobody else will be able to use it.

Finally this is a Gringotts Mobile Bank Bag, put your right hand with your wand into it and the bag will be charmed to you."

Harry did as he had been asked and although the bag appeared to be quite small his hand with his wand both disappeared into the bag, it then glowed blue as he removed his hand with his wand.

Grimnog continued, "This is our latest model and it is quite clever, you can not lose it, it does not matter where you might leave it whenever you put your hand into your pocket looking for it, it will be there."

The bag was still on the table so Harry put his hand into his pocket and the bag disappeared from the table and Harry took it out of his pocket, he had a big grin.

"Continuing," Grimnog said, "if you want Galleons or any kind of Muggle currency just think of what you want, put your hand into the bag and it will be there. If it is a lot of Galleons you need then simply think Gringotts Chequebook and take yours out of the bag, you may also deposit any money that you do not need by simply putting it into the bag. The bag can also be used to keep your Muggle documents, Bank Card and Chequebook in along with this Portkey." The Portkey looked like a large old-fashioned brass key. "The Portkey will, if you touch it with your wand, convey you and anybody else who is a friend, to the security room of this bank, provided of course that the bank is open.

Do you think that I have forgotten anything?"

Having sat in silence for about a minute, Hermione said, "Thank you very much Grimnog, it appears that you have thought of everything."

"Yes, thank you Grimnog." Harry added.

Grimnog bowed, "It is Gringotts pleasure to serve you Mr Potter and Miss Granger I have been asked by Chief Raggnog to give you this book." He passed a book that had just materialised in his hand to Hermione and continued, "You may all stay and use this room for as long as you wish but I am afraid that I must also be leaving. So thank you all, goodbye."

They all sat for about half a minute then Harry asked, "What's the book darling?"

She looked at it and said, "The Customs and Rituals of the Goblin Race, it should be very useful."

"It is also extremely rare," said Remus, "the Goblins don't dispense such information lightly."

The Headmaster, the Solicitor, Arthur, Remus, Hagrid and Amelia excused them selves saying that they had a lot to do, the other seven decided, at Ron's behest, to go for lunch in the Leaky Cauldron.

Ginny, Harry, Hermione and Ron were walking together up the Alley and Hermione said, "Harry, what do you think I should do about all of those books?"

"Well I think that they need to be sorted by someone who knows what they are looking at," answered Harry, "Remus would be ideal and as far as I know he is not working. Hang on, Tonks is Remus working?"

By this time they had reached the wall to the Leaky Cauldron and Tonks's reply was delayed until they had ordered lunch and were all comfortably seated in a small private room, "No he's not why? Does Hermione want him to sort out those books for her?"

"Did you read my mind?" Hermione asked giggling.

"What's wrong with Hermione?" asked Ron, "She never giggles, that's one of the things I like most about her."

"Well," said Ginny, sounding a lot like her mum, "Hermione is in love and when girls are in love they do a lot of things they wouldn't do otherwise."_ She was thinking of putting their elbow's in the butter dish, just as an example of course. _

"Oh," said Ron, sounding like he had just received a divine revelation, "you mean that they are even weirder than usual."

"Is your brother always as charming as this?" asked Tonks, "Or has he been working on it."

Luna strolled in just as lunch arrived, she plonked herself on Ron's lap and informed him that she would share his lunch, to everyone's amazement Ron agreed.

Luna burst out laughing, "Don't worry, I only eat the green bits and Ron doesn't like those, but I am big on puddings," then she added dreamily, "especially with thick custard." Ron and Luna both went crimson.

Tom came to clear away the empty plates and asked them if they wanted desert they all ordered and Luna just said that she would have the usual, they all looked at her strangely. She seemed to wonder for a minute then she told them that she came in quite often because the Quibbler offices were only just down the Alley, so Tom knew what she liked.

When their deserts came Luna had a large plate with Sticky Toffee Pudding, Treacle Sponge and Spotted Dick swimming in a sea of thick custard, she smiled at them and said, "Well I did say that I was big on puddings."

Deserts had been finished, Luna had eaten all of hers and Ron was talking to Ginny about going to Quality Quidditch Supplies to look at the brooms.

Jane said, "We should get back to the Surgery, we have been out all morning."

Tonks went to the fire to call Director Bones using the Floo and the Director promised to send a car straight away

So they all stood whilst they said goodbye to the Weasleys and Luna, then Tonks went out to check the Muggle Street. Three minutes later she poked her head back into the pub and told them that their car was here, so the four of them went to Croydon.

It was the first time that Jane had been in a magical vehicle and until she became used to it she was terrified, a cocktail cabinet, two overstuffed armchairs and a sofa were unusual enough but it went through gaps that…that...well they just weren't there. She was glad when they stopped.

**Authors Note;** Well that was the next instalment, I hope that you enjoyed it.

Do you have any ideas as to why Ron and Luna should turn crimson at the mention of thick custard? If you do you could include them when you** REVIEW PLEASE. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six. Harry Potter and the New Neighbours. 

**Authors Notes.** I don't know quite where this chapter came from, it just grew.

I have decided to bring my posting day forward by one day; Fridays seem to be a problem for FF. net, I don't know about you but I didn't even get a notification that the last chapter had been posted, so I assume that none of you did either. I hope that this produces a better reaction i.e. more reviews. Thank you for your patients.

**Chapter 4. The Box. **

It was much to Jane's relief that the four of them found themselves back at the surgery, she couldn't remember any trip quite like the one she had just taken in the ministry car but it had been very quick.

Because they had all been away for the morning Tanya was due to take a late lunch so Hermione would have to relieve her on reception for a while, hence Harry would be alone to go with Tonks back to his room in the Grangers house. Hermione was not overjoyed at being away from Harry for even a minute but she was not going to be silly, Tonks was his guardian, she would not let anything happen to her boyfriend.

She liked the sound of that, 'boyfriend', yes.

Harry sat on the bed and his new guardian sat at the dressing table, he obviously wanted to know about the 'Potter Trust' so Tonks started telling him, "Flattery wasn't exactly the most open person I've ever met, but to be perfectly honest I think that Dumbledore had assured him that he wouldn't be questioned about the trust in the near future. The Headmaster assumed, wrongly as it happens, he probably thought that you would pick Arthur and even if you didn't, he believed that you would choose someone he could manipulate, to be your Guardian.

Instead he got me and I'm on your side kiddo.

Anyway Flattery said that there was far in excess of fifty million Galleons in cash and four properties only three of which it would be possible for you to use at this time. Who had given him this kind of information I don't know, it certainly wouldn't have been your traditional family solicitors.

There are also a whole host of holdings in companies all over the world, so in a few words, your even more stinking rich than Sirius made you.

One of the properties that you are aware of is 'Godric's Hollow'; it has been completely restored by the family elves and it is still completely unplotable. Two House Elves who have been with the Potter family for many years are currently tending the property and will happily continue to do so.

However he seems to have no real idea how you might access it, he only thinks that the key to that might be found at Potter House, this might well be the old family wards protecting your interests.

Don't forget that Remus knows a fair bit about the Potter family set up from his friendship with your dad.

Next Flattery spoke of an enormous place called 'Chateau Potter,' which is to the south of a town called 'Sarlat-la-Caneda' in the Dordogne in France, apparently he has a box of Portkeys for it but they have to be activated by a Potter. Six House Elves and about ten squibs maintain this one, apparently the house itself is vast and it also has a huge vineyard, which produces both red and white wine of outstanding quality. The wine is only distributed within the wizarding community otherwise you would have the French Muggle Ministry wanting to know where it was coming from.

The French Muggles are really weird about their plonk; anyone would think that they invented the stuff.

The other you may choose to use is 'Potter House' itself, which is also in perfect order and is located at Fairy Hill in the middle of the Gower Peninsular in South Wales. It is presently being looked after by another six House Elves who have also been with your family for many years, in his office he has a Portkey which will carry you there however this also may only be used by a Potter.

The fourth place he knows nothing about, it is simply listed as a secret residence of the Potters and I think that it is only an assumption that you can't use it, or he may be simply trying to hide even more things."

Harry thought for a few minutes and then asked, "Well you said that he wasn't forthcoming so I think that it would be quite reasonable for us to assume that he was holding back, stalling, so as not to upset the Headmaster? I wonder who the traditional family solicitors are? Why were they changed? Can we find out? So many questions and to top it all a whole bunch of House Elves for Hermione to get steamed up at me about."

"First off Harry don't worry too much about the House Elves," Tonks said consolingly. "Remus has already told me that the Potters always retained their elves with one of the original Elf-Wizard mutual benefit contracts and it will be an education for Hermione also it will be ammunition for her crusade.

As to the other, I think, no I am certain that the solicitor works for Dumbledore first and foremost so he was trying to impart the minimum amount of information in an attempt to shut me up. For the rest of it, records of the major families traditional solicitors will be in the Hall of Records in the Ministry. We can only assume that the solicitors were changed to suit Dumbledore's non-freedom of information policy, with Flattery working for the Headmaster's interest.

If matters had been left with your original family solicitors they would basically ignore Dumbledore and always work primarily for what they perceived to be in your interest."

"Can I ask you to do some things for me please Tonks?" Harry asked seriously, "Can you go to Croydon and ask the Grangers if Remus may come to dinner tonight and then to go and find Remus to get him to come here for dinner please? Sometime, I suggest as soon as practical, I think that you should go to the Hall of Records and move the Potter Trust back to my family's traditional solicitors, today wouldn't be too soon.

And I still have this box from Sirius to open."

Tonks stood up and in an attempt to lighten the mood, with a cheeky smile she said, "For the chance of a go at your body I would do anything," and she _Disapparated_.

x-x

For what was probably the first time since he had woken up that day Harry was alone, he picked up the box and examined it again, there was just a thin seam about a half an inch down from what he would assume was the top. As there didn't appear to be any other way to open it he touched it with his wand intending to say _Alohomora_ but on contact with his wand the box just opened.

Inside was what looked like a heavy brass curtain ring about three inches diameter, a coil of silken cord that would be perhaps six foot long and letter from Sirius so obviously he read the letter.

_Dear Harry, _

_It must be you because after my demise nobody else will be able to open this box._

_This ring is a Portkey that will carry you and anyone else with you to what has been known for years as Black Island, it is changing families so please change the name, it is an absolutely stupid name for such a beautiful place. Might I suggest Alaw Island, (the Welsh word for Lilly), it is where I went on Buckbeak and it really is a beautiful place. _

_Also don't worry about where it is, even I don't know the answer to that, (Buckbeak and I had to use the Portkey) although if you leave here a midday you seem to arrive there at about three or four in the afternoon. I can tell you that it is always warm and quite often wet, so just enjoy it. _

_I am sorry that I am not there for you and try to enjoy yourself. _

_Sirius. _

_P.S. If you attach the cord to the ring it is a lot easier to transport several people, or a Hippogriff at the same time. S._

Harry sat there for a few minutes thinking, it sounded like he could just disappear if he wanted to, a week ago he would just of gone but now there was Hermione and where there was Hermione there had to be books and…stop thinking like that.

His mobile phone rang so he answered it, "Hello."

"Hi darling, is everything alright?"

It was she who was the most incredible in his eyes, "Yes everything's fine I'll be there in a minute."

"Hurry, I've missed you and I'm waiting for you." She rang off.

Folding the letter he put it into his pocket, then he closed the box and put it onto his dressing table, walking back into Hermione's bedroom he Portkeyed back to Croydon.

True to her word she was waiting for him and he was engulfed in a huge embrace as he arrived in the cupboard, having kissed him thoroughly she looked into his eyes and asked, "Is every thing ok?"

He gazed back at her then thinking for a few seconds then he said, "Yes. Actually everything is fine, now," and he passed her the note to read.

It did not take her long to read and assess the half dozen relevant lines and she said, "A week ago you would of disappeared, wouldn't you?"

He looked at her sheepishly and nodded, then he said, "Not any more though, nowhere without you," and with a cheeky smile he added, "and I don't know if there is a library there."

She gave him a playful slap and they wandered, hand in hand, back into the surgery.

The loving couple first asked Jane and then they went to the opticians to collect the sunglasses and goggles Harry ordered when he had had his new spectacles made.

Harry had ordered skiing goggles that he would use to play Quidditch and the young lady who was fitting them was making a great fuss and alternately calling him Mr Potter and then Harry.

When she had spent another fifteen minutes supposedly fitting Harry's sunglasses, Hermione looked her straight in the eyes and said, "Are you a squib?"

The girl looked contrite, then said quietly, "Yes. How did you know?"

"It was pretty obvious that you knew who he was," Hermione said, "and the only people who know who he is are from the Magical world. If you were a witch you wouldn't be working here, therefore it was a fairly safe assumption that you were a squib. I however am a witch and although I am not usually, if someone is trying to make a pass at my boyfriend, I can be a bitch of a witch." Hermione turned a mirror to face the girl, "Look at yourself." She said bluntly.

The girl looked at herself and gasped in horror, her face had a worse case of Acne than Eloise Midgen had ever managed, Hermione continued, "Do you want to stay like that?"

"No." squeaked the terrified shop assistant.

Hermione waved her hand and the spots disappeared, the girl looked extremely relieved and thanked her, she smiled and continued, "Think your self lucky that I am in a good mood, some girl tried something similar on him the other day but she was just a Muggle tart, so I ignored her.

You however knew exactly who he is and what you were doing, as I said, just think yourself lucky."

Harry and Hermione were out of the opticians in three minutes and he was thinking to himself that he wouldn't like to be the witch who crossed his protective Hermione, it made him feel pretty good.

After they had made their way back to the surgery, what little was left of the afternoon passed without incident.

x-x

Over dinner they had arranged for Remus to sort through Hermione's newly acquired library, as expected Remus had refused any kind of payment for doing the job and Harry had stopped Hermione arguing with him about it. While Harry was washing the dishes and Hermione was drying them she asked him why he had stopped her arranging to pay Remus for his work. Harry laughed quietly and told her that whatever they said Remus would never accept being paid, so they would just put the money into his bank account and forget to tell him.

The couple had decided not to say anything about the island, they had finished doing the dishes and they were sat on the patio with Remus, Tonks and Hermione's Mum and Dad.

Tonks said, "Do you mind if they all know about what I have been doing for you since I left you this afternoon?" Harry said that he didn't mind and so she carried on. "First I went to the Hall of Records in the Ministry and discovered your families traditional solicitors, when I contacted them they asked me to come to Llanelli to talk to them. So I went to talk to Bronwyn Evans, she is a squib but her, now retired, uncle Iago, who is a wizard, handled the Potter Trust for over a hundred and twenty years. Anyway he came to the office and found the inventory of what had been handed over to Flattery, then he and I went to see Flattery and that's when the fun started.

Flattery was a bit peeved but he handed over everything apart from three items and we would be here until midnight if I were to explain what happened next with Dumbledore and Amelia. Eventually she threatened him with headlines in the Prophet and he realised that he had to capitulate or he would have all of the old families up in arms against him.

Flattery told us that there was over fifty million Galleons in the Potter Trust, well there is actually over one hundred and thirty five million Galleons in the trust. However, Iago told me that this is more important, it is the key to the Potters power, but this bag appears to be empty."

Tonks passed Harry a black bag, but because she couldn't reach from where she was lounging she passed it via Hermione who felt it and seemed to confirm that it was empty.

Harry took the bag and it glowed as he touched it so he put his hand into it and withdrew Godric Gryffindors sword.

Jane and Matt were amazed.

Tonks took a Red and Gold box that was very similar to the one that he had received from Sirius from inside her cloak and placed it on the table, the box had a Gold 'P' in the centre of its top.

"Iago told me that you are to touch the box with what you withdrew from the bag." Tonks told him.

Harry touched the box with Gryffindor's sword and the likeness of two old wizards appeared and they were arguing.

"I am not skinny I am properly proportioned it is you sonny who is a fatso."

"I am not fat granddad. I am comfortably proportioned…we have visitors. Ahem! Who are you lot?"

Jane and Matt were dumbfounded, Hermione, Tonks and Remus were mildly amused but curious and Harry said, "I believe that you should tell us who you are first?"

"We are both your ancient ancestors and my name was Myrddin Emrys," the slimmer one offered, "although I believe that some individuals have started to call me Merlin, I don't mind either name. The juvenile podgy one went by the name of Godric Gryffindor, that's his sword you are holding so it must be you who summoned us for your initiation."

"What initiation?" asked Harry, "I'm afraid that I don't know anything about that. Oh and my name is Harry, Merlin sir."

Pondering, Gryffindor said, "It's been ninety five years since the last one, it must have skipped a few generations."

"I think that would certainly include at least my father and grandfather sir." Harry said.

Merlin said kindly, "The initiation will impart a lot of ancient knowledge and release the power that is inherent in our family, you will know things and be capable of doing things that traditionally we were famous for. Have you eaten? Because when it is over you will either be asleep or feel very tired and you will need to sleep for fifteen to twenty hours."

Harry said to the Grangers, "If I fall asleep here will someone tell the Dursleys that I won't be back for the night, please."

Matt said, "Whatever, you will spend the night here and I will go and tell the Dursleys that you won't be coming home tonight, don't worry about it."

Then, in a voice that brooked no argument, Hermione added, "And I won't be going anywhere until you are up and around again."

A golden glow extended from the Ancients to cover the heads of the six surrounding them, it lasted about half a minute and then died away.

Without preamble Gryffindor said, "We have two Muggles who are very much in love and know it, unfortunately it is against all of the rules for us to do anything to them. And we have the werewolf and the fighter who are madly in love with each other and are too nervous to say anything to each other, do you think that we should tell them?"

Tonks and Remus were looking at each other as though someone had just turned a light on and they had just seen each other for the first time.

"I think that they may have realised it, after what you just said." Merlin said smiling and added looking at Remus. "Anyway I have virtually cured the werewolf he will transform for a few hours only at the full moon, it will not be painful and he will also retain his mind."

Remus was trying to thank them but Gryffindor shushed him and continued, "You may notice that I am quite keen on love it can solve a lot of things. Now the pair with enough love to stand the world on its head, I see that you have improved her mental organisation and her powers of recall even further. She was brilliant before hand what is she going to be like now, because I can tell that you have done something else as well."

Merlin chuckled, "I have raised her magical power by two orders of magnitude, she is as powerful as you now and I have also added a dozen or so ancient languages that are all but lost in these days and they will make the learning of others a lot easier. But none of it will take effect until after she has slept.

Now young Harry, sometime after you have both slept you should touch this box with your wand and it will transport you and your ladylove to the 'Library of the Ancients', which is precisely what its name implies.

Now the Library rules; you can not write anything down about what you find there without specific permission, ever, you must remember what you learn; you are normally only allowed one visit; lastly, time has no meaning there so you can stay as long as you like and arrive back here no older and at the same instant you left. Don't worry your mind will be modified much the same way as your lady loves and you will be able to remember and recall many things easily. You will be fed, you will be able to exercise and sleep whilst you are there, they will be expecting you. A few words of advice, one for offence and one for defence, then on a completely different theme, when the time comes make lots of babies.

Now return the sword to the bag and put the bag into your pocket, it will always be there when you want it as will this box. If after the first trip to the Library you touch this box with your wand it will open and you will find a Portkey, it will carry you and whomever you wish to take with you to our original family home and it cannot be accessed by any other means."

Harry did as Merlin had instructed him then he kissed Hermione and then he told the Ancients that he was ready.

A golden glow came from Merlin and Godric, which completely encased Harry, who appeared to fall into a deep sleep almost immediately and then he floated up into a horizontal position.

Every thing remained in apparent stasis for about five minutes then Godric said, "A simple ending spell will allow him to float down onto his bed to sleep."

Myrddin Emrys and Godric Gryffindor disappeared.

x-x

When Harry awoke he was warm, comfortable, very hungry and someone was cuddling him. The aroma was unmistakeable, it was Hermione and from the deep regularity of her breathing she was asleep, this was akin to paradise.

He must have dozed off again because when he was next conscious she had moved onto her back and he guessed from her breathing that she was awake, he said, "I love you but why did you stop cuddling me?"

"It's nearly one thirty and I am starving, I was going to try to sneak away to get something to eat."

"Your Dad mentioned something about your cooking not being all it might be, would you like me to cook us breakfast?"

"Can you cook?" she asked incredulously.

"Well it used to satisfy number four, that's not saying much anyone's cooking could satisfy Dudley and Uncle Vernon but aunt Petunia is a different matter. Not that she's that much of a cook herself, unless they had visitors."

Hermione rolled over and gave him a kiss then she went across to her room to have a shower.

Fifteen minutes later she followed the aroma of bacon frying and when she arrived in the kitchen she found Tonks who was sat at the table, with a screwed up face, drinking tea, Harry was cooking sausages, bacon, eggs, black pudding, baked beans, mushrooms and toast.

"Morning Tonks." Hermione said.

Tonks said, "I have definitely been insulted, I asked handsome over there if I could help and he said that he had heard that my cooking was worse than yours, so he let me make the tea. Though I wish he hadn't it's awful."

She stood up and poured all the tea down the sink and Hermione said, "I'm quite good with tea." She made a fresh pot and it was ready just in time to go with the fry up, which was excellent.

Halfway through eating their meal Tonks said, "Sorry I forgot but these came for you two whilst you were unconscious." She handed them an envelope.

Hermione opened hers and said, "It's an invitation to Susan Bones birthday party next Tuesday starting at midday in their pool."

After Harry had read his the couple decided that they would go to the party although Harry didn't really like mixing with a lot of people, so Hermione drafted a joint reply that they both signed and sent off to Susan using Hedwig.

Tonks and Hermione washed then dried the breakfast things excusing Harry because he had cooked it; they knew full well that if either of them had tried cooking it, it would have been a disaster.

Harry asked, "Do you think that we should we go to the library now?"

"What's the hurry?" asked Tonks.

"Well the sooner we know, we know." Harry said.

Mystified would adequately describe the look on Tonks face, but Hermione explained, "That was Dumble-speak, he means, it doesn't take any real time ergo it doesn't matter when we go, so the sooner we acquire the information, knowledge, whatever, the sooner we will be able to assimilate it and put it to use."

"Should we discuss what we are going to try to learn from the library?" asked Harry.

Tonks added, "That sounds like a pretty good idea, the 'Library of the Ancients' sounds vast, it would be very easy to get carried away."

Harry pondered, "I think that Merlin was saying, 'you for defence and me for offence,' or something like that."

Hermione had a cheeky grin, "I thought he said, 'make lots of babies,' darling."

Now Tonks was grinning, "That's an idea that I can relate to, come on Harry."

"Tonks behave yourself," Hermione said still grinning, "What would Remus say?"

"That was a total shock," Tonks said suddenly looking starry eyed, "Remus and me, it was so obvious once he opened our eyes. It will take some getting used to, I can tell you."

"Back to the library." Hermione sounded bossy for the first time this summer, "Maybe we will be able to get someone to help us, they could have standard books of spells up to grade twenty, or something?"

"If you're going to get all bossy I'm not going." Harry said with a pretend pout and puppy eyes.

"Don't do that," said Tonks, laughing and turning her away then hiding her eyes, "I'll be throwing my knickers at you and Hermione will want to kill me and that would upset Remus and that would upset you Harry because I know that you don't like to see Remus upset and then Hermione would get upset be…"

"SHUT UP TONKS!" yelled Hermione and Harry together through their laughter.

"That's better," said Harry and Hermione kissed him.

"I'm sorry Harry," Hermione said, "I promised myself, when I first found out that mum and dad had moved next door to you, that I wouldn't get so worked up over books and I thought that I had been really good so far."

Harry looked at her lovingly and said, "You have been so good that I have been scared to say anything about it, we have just been having fun and it has been great. So now we had better go and look at this library."

But before they moved he gave her another big kiss.

The three of them went upstairs and the couple decided that they should go to the loo before embarking on a trip to who knew where, two minutes later they gathered in Harry's bedroom.

Tonks sat on the bed, she watched as Harry kissed Hermione again and then holding her hand he touched the box with his wand.

There was a glow but nothing had happened.

x-x

**Authors Notes.** I am by no means certain that I like the direction this chapter is taking the story, what do you think? I might have to end it quickly, sort of put it out of its misery and you don't really think that Merlin's magic has failed, do you?

**PLEASE REVIEW **

The next chapter of "H.P. Love is All You Need," will be published on Monday; lots of reviews make the writing easier.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six. 

**Authors Note.** At the end of this chapter you are going to be asked to make a decision as to where this story should go, see you at the end.

**Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.**

**Chapter 5. The Library of the Ancients. **

Harry was wearing what appeared to be a lightweight pale blue sarong tucked around his waist that finished about ten inches from the floor and sandals, nothing else just the sarong and sandals. He looked at Hermione, apart from her sarong being tucked around her upper chest and pale pink she appeared to be identically attired, she looked wonderful.

He asked the first thing that came into his head, "I don't appear have any underwear on, do you?"

The colour her face turned was sufficient answer, but she said, "No, but I daresay that we will get used to it, we might even get to enjoy it."

Approaching them was a slim female with very fine long blond hair that was tucked back behind her slightly pointed ears, she was about five and a half feet tall, her skin was very pale and she was wearing a pale green sarong. She was classically beautiful and exuded an aura of immense goodness and power.

When she reached them they realised that her eyes were the same colour as Harry's and she said, "I am called Elfin and I am to be your helper and answer all of your questions whilst you are here, but first I detect that we have made an error, we were told that you were in love but we didn't realise that you had not started copulating and it is embarrassing you both."

With a wave of her hand Harry felt boxer shorts where they normally were and he could tell from the expression of slight relief on Hermione's face that she had also acquired underwear.

Elfin continued, "It was intended that you share this room, would you like to check it because we do not wish you to be uncomfortable and it would be very easy to put you into separate rooms, if it would be more relaxing for you?"

Harry said, "Then we should have a look around."

The room was about thirty-five foot square and in one pair of opposing corners were king-size beds, the other corners were occupied by large desks together with six tall empty bookcases, three each side. There were two wardrobes, one contained pink sarongs the other blue next to each of them was a small chest of drawers, besides underwear these contained only swimming and running clothes. A love seat, two comfortable armchairs, a small dining table with four dining chairs and a large very elaborate bathroom completed what could well be described as a very comfortable bed sitting room.

"I like it if you do," said Hermione with a small smile.

Harry turned to Elfin and said, "We will be happy to stay here, can you tell us where we are and what happens next?"

She produced some paper with a fountain pen, she smiled and said, "Before I explain would you like to write yourselves a few notes about what you were doing immediately prior to your arrival here, it is likely that you will be here for several weeks and a reminder might be useful to you just before you return."

Hermione remarked, "A fountain pen and paper, not parchment and a quill?"

Hermione started writing rapidly with Harry making the occasional comment, when she had finished Elfin retrieved the pen and paper then started to explain, "Pen and paper is far more efficient for every day use, your note won't need to last a thousand years. So to your questions, you are in what you might well call the Ancient Library of Alexandria, although relatively that would be a very new name for it, it was in existence long before Alexander. What happens next is that I will take you to Amoon for a more detailed assessment, this is for your and our mutual benefit. We both need to be certain that we are singing from the same songbook, so if you are ready will you please follow me."

Their guide set off through an ornate door into what was very obviously the Library and they followed her through the maze of bookcases. Eventually the three of them reached what appeared to be an extremely comfortable reception room where they sat and started talking.

Elfin said, "First a word of warning, you would be well advised to never enter the Library on your own, it is really easy for mortals to become lost in its shifting maze, you can walk through a doorway immediately look behind yourself and the doorway will not be there."

Hermione asked, "You told us that the Library has been here since long before Alexandria, just how long has it been here and who is Amoon?"

Elfin gave an enigmatic smile and said, "We were told that you were very bright and you have no fear of questioning us either within less than an hour of your arrival."

"As Merlin told you, this is 'The Library of the Ancients' and it has been growing for nearly fifty million years since the beginnings of magic as one of the fundamental elements of nature. You would not of called those far-off magical beings human even, although in evolutionary terms they were your very ancient and direct ancestors. The Library has seen the recognisable human race develop and climb towards various peaks of civilisation a number of times only to be dashed by major natural disasters pole reversals, meteor strikes, titanic earthquakes, ice ages, things like that. Sometimes as in the case of the advanced civilisation that you would have called Atlantis it was a combination of more than one factor."

"Through the ages the Library has developed the ability to protect itself and in times of danger is quite capable of moving itself to a safe location until your world settles down again. As you already must realise it now exists outside the standard earthly space-time frame, which also helps protect it from normal worldly occurrences, so quite where here is would be very difficult to identify."

"You also ask as to who Amoon is, well Amoon is not really a who at all, or a what for that matter, in the normally accepted meaning of the words. Amoon is essentially the spirit of Knowledge, Records and Instruction. Therefore as such does not have a corporeal form, its spirit diffuses through this place and your world both Magic and Muggle, I am Amoon's interface to you and your world. Don't be deceived, Amoon is a real entity, it just does not have a corporeal form in your reality, we do not like the word but 'God', as in the 'God of Knowledge' would seem to fit Amoon very well."

For a moment Elfin appeared to be in a dream, then she asked, "Amoon would like to know what language you would like to use for the magical incantations you learn here?"

With a slight smile Hermione looked at Harry and said, "I think that I favour Welsh, I believe that it would be very appropriate, Myrddin told us of this place, Harry's family appears to be rooted there and my mother's maiden name was Jenkins, she came from Llantysilio quite near to Llangollen in north Wales."

Harry agreed, "Sounds good to me, it's an unusual enough language that most people wouldn't even know what the words we were using mean."

"Amoon has asked," Elfin said again, "what do you think of your scientists view of the universe?"

Harry thought that he had better answer quickly or Hermione would leave him with nothing to say, so he said, "I can never understand why they are so preoccupied with what happened at the instant of the so called 'Big Bang' if they worked out what was happening, say ten minutes before the explosion, they would probably be able to understand it. I have heard them say that nothing was happening before the Bang but that is totally illogical, anyway if it were true where did it all come from then? What made the Bang? I will accept that it was something we do not understand, but it is highly improbable, that it was nothing."

Hermione was certainly not going to be left out, "The _'scientists'_ say that the universe is everything and then the same so called _'scientists'_ say that the universe is expanding, do they even speak the same language as me? If the universe is everything then there is nowhere for it to expand into and they then have the temerity to accuse me of not understanding, our 'uninformed' views are supposedly too simplistic. Well the questions may well be simplistic but that does not stop them being valid and there is no reason that they should have simplistic answer…"

Elfin stopped Hermione who was getting into top gear of her rant mode, "Amoon understands what you mean and is quite satisfied that you truly are of the correct mind set to be the chosen ones, you must be prepared to question that which doesn't appear to be correct. So we must now offer you that choice, if you need it you will be given as long as you wish to consider your answer, remember that as such time here has no meaning."

"Which ever you choose you will be given the knowledge and the power to remove Voldemort together with his minions from your society the question is do you want to achieve a lot more."

The couple were now both extremely attentive.

"In order to avoid the peeks and troughs that have blighted humanity throughout the ages, an organisation needs to be created in your world that will in a way be the visible front for the library." Elfin said, "It will need to integrate the pinnacle of science with magic and push forward and preserve development in order that the positive progress which has been enjoyed by this civilisation can be preserved.

You might well have to create an institute of higher learning incorporating both Muggle and Magical philosophies and it would need to be integrated with manufacturing organisations to produce what you need. The financial spin off from patents and such like will be required to bolster your finances which in the greater scheme of things are not that great, you may need to be able to buy several established organisations IBM, General Motors or such like."

"Obviously at this time not even Amoon knows what might be needed."

"This is not a short term or easy task, you will each require a greatly extended lifespan and there will be a lot of sacrifice together with hard work, but it won't be all work."

Elfin appeared to have finished so Harry said, "Hermione knows what I'm like and I was never one to back away from a challenge, so it's up to her."

Hermione smiled at him lovingly then she poked her tongue out at him and said, "Potter, you know me at least as well as I know you and people say that I am clever because they don't see past me to you and so they only see you as a hero. If you are not at least as clever as me it's because you are cleverer and choose to hide it from general view," she had a cheeky smile as she continued. "I don't know typical man hiding behind a woman's skirt."

"Elfin, did you ever have any real doubt that we would attempt to undertake the major task? We can tell that there may well be many things we don't like about it and we are going to need help, but that won't stop us doing our best to succeed, if it for the greater good. Everybody says that Harry has a saving people thing, well this is just his ultimate saving people thing and he has only had a Dark Lord to deal with before, so now your telling him that his next opponent will be Nature. Well I think that Nature sticks to the rules more so than Dark Lords, it's just that nobody's written all of the rule book correctly yet and everybody knows that I like writing."

Elfin smiled, "We had little doubt that you would accept, but we had to give you the free choice and because of your choice you will be granted free access to return to the library here whenever you require information."

Around each of their necks she hung a heptagonal golden amulet and she continued, "When you get back no one will be able to see these amulets, if you hold your own and think library you will come to your room here. If you hold your partners amulet and think library then you will both come here, if your situation makes things difficult you could come here simply to canoodle or rest. It might well be very useful for relief from boring meetings and for instantly collecting useful information; also you might be summoned here to be warned of danger."

"Contained here is the sum of human knowledge since the beginning, not just magical but everything and you will be taught how to direct this knowledge to others, in ways similar to the edu-sleep Myrddin created for you yesterday. There are a lot of people who think the world of you Harry and Myrddin told you to make lots of babies, babies are the future of humanity and if you don't put the best genes back into society then it would be a waste."

Now it is time for your next edu-sleep," then Elfin asked, "Would you prefer to wake up together or in separate beds?"

Very quickly Hermione said, "Together please," with a big grin.

Harry said quickly, "Um, if we are going to sleep for as long as I slept last time, then I really need to eat something first."

A table appeared and on it was everything that they seemed to want to eat and they looked surprised.

Elfin smiled, "We have the ability to detect such things so why should we not use them, while you are here you will always eat exactly what it appears you want."

Hermione thought that there was something strange about what Elfin had just said but shortly after they had finished eating they both fell asleep.

x-x

He didn't know if he was awake or dreaming but he was blissfully happy, floating, naked, spooning into someone soft and warm, cuddling something very soft, two something's that were very soft and bare as well, his nose was in hair that smelt like HERMIONE!

He wasn't dreaming and he instantly removed his hands.

"Put your hands back Potter I was enjoying that."

Who was he to object to…paradise?

Elfin gave a demure cough and two pairs of eyes flashed open and she smiled, "There are no real rules here, because you arrived a virgin you will, if you wish, be returned as a virgin, because time has no meaning you cannot become pregnant here. What you do here is entirely up to you and as long as it is what you both want then no one will judge you. I will return when you are having breakfast, remember that time has no meaning here."

He had to release one of her breasts to turn her around but she was compensated when his fingers found a place that she had only ever known them to discover in her dreams, her wildest dreams and he was driving her wild.

"Would you like your birthday present early?" she managed to whisper.

"Mmmm…" came from somewhere between her legs.

"Happy Birthday."

Some time later he asked cheekily, "Would you like your birthday present early as well?"

"Please. Oooohhh!"

"Happy Birthday."

By the time they drifted off to sleep they both had had their Christmas and birthday presents for several years.

Before they went to shower they decided that they had only been practicing so what they had been doing was purely educational, also they would have to think of something else for Birthday and Christmas presents.

When they came out of the bathroom they realised that the furnishing of their room had changed, all of the bookcases had moved into the corner where the other bed had been and they were now full of books.

By normal measure well over three hours would have passed by the time Elfin rejoined a very relaxed couple at the breakfast table, she said, "Amoon has drawn up a very informal timetable for you, on certain days you can skip some of the items as you see fit."

"Get up and run around the track, the track is about two miles long and once around will be enough at first, your physical fitness will gradually improve. Then have a shower, eat your breakfast and read for what would be four hours, then you will have lunch and it will be followed by another four hours of reading."

"Four hours is the maximum you will be permitted to read in one session a bell will ping at the end of this time and eight hours is the most you will be permitted to read in one wake period."

Hermione tried to object, but pointing at one of the sets of three nearly full bookcases Elfin stopped her, "These three bookcases are yours and it will only take you four hours to learn each of those volumes," they were huge. "Your speed of reading and your rate of assimilation has been enhanced but if you try to do too much you will not remember what you are trying to learn."

Because Hermione was looking doubtful Elfin brought her the first volume from her bookcase, she made a show of reading out the title, "Complete Sixth Year Study Programme, you will assimilate this in the next four hours and after lunch you both will do the same for seventh year. The volumes cover all of the subjects both practical and theory, if you took your NEWTS tomorrow you would each gain twelve at O+."

"After the school year books you have two volumes a year for the five years of the University Masters courses in Defence, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Runes, Arithmancy, History of Magic and Astronomy. So in ten days you will be able to gain distinctions for Masters Degrees in nine subjects if you were ever to bother to take them, which is not recommended. Hermione you will have your 'Standard Books of Spells,' you asked for, yours go up to volume twenty-two, Harry's go up to volume twenty-six, I won't bore you with any more, but you can see that you won't exactly be hanging around with your learning."

Hermione asked, "Why is it not recommended that we take examinations?"

Elfin smiled, "The world does not need to know how clever you are or just how much you know, you would answer some of the questions in ways which would allow the examiners to more fully understand what they were asking. The two of you have tentatively agreed, amongst other things, to establish an 'Institute of Knowledge' and as such you will be employers not employees, you need no formal qualification to give someone a job and then to pay them."

"Now let me tell you about what else is available here, besides the Library and the running track there is a swimming pool and a training room where I will come and help you to practise your magic. Before you ask neither of you will need to use a wand in the future other than for show, mainly it would be if you didn't want others to know just how powerful you have become. If you get fed up you can always canoodle, there is no set time scale, stop and smell the roses, you can spend an hour or a day making love in the swimming pool any time you want to."

Elfin left and they settled into their chairs but before they started reading Hermione said, "That book I lent you was pretty good, wasn't it?"

His eyes were sparkling as he smiled at her and simply said, "Mmmm," before they started reading.

Sure enough a couple of minutes before the four-hour ping they had both finished their year six books. Their lunches were different but as they said they each had exactly what they wanted and ninety minutes after the first ping another sounded and they assimilated year seven.

The swimming pool they knew was indoors, but it was an exact replica of the one in Hermione's garden on a very warm sunny afternoon and they had been told that there would never ever be anybody else in it when they wanted to use it, time did not matter. Moreover they soon became totally comfortable with each other's bodies and rarely wore anything under their sarongs or in the pool.

It was their third evening before they ventured into the training room where they were joined by Elfin who spent a couple of hours with them and in that time she completely changed their perception of practical magic. Wiggling their wands about and getting the incantation just so were out, now it was more akin to think of what you want to happen, fling a bunch of magic at it, with a thought of 'do that' and it just seemed to happen.

Sometimes the results were disastrous but other times they were spectacular.

Hermione's four-foot, multi flavoured, ice cream pyramid springs to mind along with Harry changing the contents of the swimming pool into Butterbeer, as Ron would have said of either effort, 'nice one'.

After half a dozen sleeping periods their waking time had taken on something of a routine, get up, run around the track, shower, breakfast, study, lunch, study, snack, magic training, swimming, dinner and canoodle. After another week they added a second lap to their morning run and when they were thinking of adding a third lap Elfin suggested they add some circuit training with weights instead, which they both thought was a better idea.

Harry and Hermione were both eating well, exercising well and sleeping well so they both physically felt as good as they ever had.

The only time they normally saw Elfin was in the training room, but the couple knew that they could always call her if either of them wanted anything out of their normal routine.

Just over fifty days after they had arrived Elfin joined them whilst they were eating breakfast, she told them that when they had finished their breakfast she would like to take them to Amoon again.

Whilst they were eating Hermione asked Elfin, "You said that you were Amoon's interface, how long have you been here?"

She replied, "Time has no meaning here, but I was here eons before Djehuty came and many ages before Atlantis which was far earlier, to you I believe that I have been here a very long time."

"Your Headmaster is the only other living soul who has been here, his Standard Books of Spells finished at fourteen, so he has nearly two thirds of the power of yours Hermione, just less than half of Harry's. Also he is the only person who will hear Amoon's name if you speak it, others will hear something in context that will appear to make sense to them."

"Dumbledore is now getting old and he has started to believe that he knows what is best for everybody, he has become a manipulator of people but never believe that his motives are anything but good. Some of his actions appear strange and his penchant for withholding information can be extremely annoying, but his motives are always for what he sees as the best course of action. Do not discard him totally he has great experience in the way people react in given situations and his advice on such matters can still be invaluable."

Having finished their breakfast they had once again made their way to the comfortable room they had visited on their first day and Hermione asked, "Why do you have to bring us here? Isn't Amoon throughout the whole location?"

Elfin smiled and answered, "Of course he is all through this complex, but here he is more, this is the heart of the Library and as such it is where the power is concentrated most, it is here that it is easiest for Amoon to act. Now you have learned much we need to discuss some things so first you need to understand them and then you have to go to sleep to learn them."

"Amoon can give you many things but he cannot give you life, it may sound strange but life is something you each have to collect for yourselves. You will however be able to pass it between each other and also you will be capable of passing a certain amount of that collected life on to others."

"To collect life you absorb it from someone else, you take it from someone who you believe deserves to lose it."

Neither Hermione nor Harry looked very happy at the thought of this and Hermione said scathingly, "You mean that for us to gain life we have to kill someone?"

"Not necessarily," Elfin said, "I will try an example; ignoring everything else she has done, Bellatrix Lestrange destroyed the minds of Neville Longbottoms parents, would you think that fifty years in Azkaban would be an excessive punishment for that crime?"

They both thought that it would be reasonable.

"Then why not simply take fifty years of her life?" asked Elfin.

Hermione thought for a minute, "She is a witch and so she may live a further fifty or sixty years and she would have had no effective punishment."

"What if you were to removed all of her magic, as well?" Elfin asked.

Harry replied, "That now sounds a far more reasonable punishment but what are we going to do with her magic? You have told us previously that we are already as powerful as we personally can become, so we cannot add it to our magic, as you seem to be suggesting we do with the life?"

"You could have a magic repository, or for that matter more than one." Elfin told them, "Somewhere from where you can draw quantities of raw magic that have been stored for future use as and when required. When Hermione fixes your glasses or you repair a broken cup you don't notice the raw magic drain, if the pair of you had to repair the collapsed roof in the corridor leading to the chamber of secrets, you would only just succeed. The raw magic drain would nearly empty both of you, but if you put all of the magic from all of the current Death Eaters into a repository then you could easily rebuild the whole of Hogwarts half a dozen times with it."

"It would be sensible to each have a personal store virtually equal to your own magical energy capacity, then everything else could go into the section for general use and that could be as large as needed."

"Of course as a worse punishment you could leave timed life for those that truly deserve to be severely punished, you leave them a specific period of remaining life and have a clock constantly displaying their remaining time, no matter if their eyes are open or not. There are not many deserving of such a terrible fate, death is much kinder."

Elfin allowed them to think for about ten minutes and then said, "Are you still willing to undertake the major task? Or do you still need more time to think?"

Harry gave Hermione a slight nod and she said, "If it is looked at emotionally then it appears to be very selfish and cruel, but when examined logically it is only ensuring that society's normal punishment is not only applied but also put to good use. We will to the best of our abilities undertake the major task."

Thirty seconds later they were once again in edu-sleep.

x-x

When they awoke this time they were once more cuddling but this wasn't the frantic embrace of un-sated love, it was more the desperate search for the comfort of each other's closeness. Amongst other things they had learned, mentally they had acquired access to a catalogue of human deeds be they good or bad, if either of them thought of a name then it brought up, in their minds eye, a scroll of that persons deeds.

Although it was gruesome it held a morbid fascination for them, the vast majority of names were entered in black, which was the neutral middle ground between good and bad. There were a reasonable number of names in blue, which indicated good, there were also silver and gold but these didn't seen to apply to any other than the very young.

It was the orange and red lists that held the fascination, to get on the orange list you had to be needlessly cruel or simply be a Death Eater, Muggles and magic were separated and the Muggle list seemed endless. Being on the orange list as a Death Eater earned ten years off your life and the loss of all of your magic, if you were a Muggle it cost you twenty years simply for being on it.

If you murdered or you were consistently extremely cruel you made the red list, again the Muggle list was very long but the Wizard World one was almost exclusively made up of Death Eaters.

There were too many names on the Wizard World red list of people they knew and if necessary they could print all or parts of the red and orange lists for the Authorities. It was the only thing that they would be allowed to produce in writing outside of the Library, without specific permission.

One name on the red list caused Hermione extreme anguish, that name was Severus Snape because she had always defended him saying that Dumbledore trusted him so they all should.

How could she of been so wrong.

His treatment of either Harry or Neville would of put him on the red list on its own, without counting the twenty three murders for Voldemort, some as recent as two months ago.

But he did not support Voldemort, his ambition was greater, it was to be the next Dark Lord.

Seven hundred and eighty six Death Eaters was the current count, one hundred and fourteen of them worked inside the Ministry of Magic, working in the ministry automatically put Death Eaters on the red list.

x-x

Elfin came in and put a book on the foot of their bed and said, "Amoon has sent this book and some instructions, get up, have a shower, eat breakfast, come back to bed and read this book, after the first sequence is complete you may vary it at will. I will return when you are both ready." Then she left.

Immediately Hermione tried to read the book but it would not open, "Bah! They know me too well."

Harry half smiled, "Even the Gryffindor first years would of known that they had to do that. Come on let's shower."

Hermione was mumbling, "And I bet they won't let me skip half of my breakfast either."

Three hours later Hermione was extremely glad that she hadn't been allowed to skip half of her breakfast. It was a sex manual. An extremely good sex manual. It was designed for two people and it wouldn't let you turn over the page until you had mastered the page that you were on. It didn't need a lot of pages.

Several days later, when they had been through it twice Hermione assured him that it had eighteen pages and Elfin came to see them again, she told them, "Only four more books and your course will be complete, you know that you can come back for a refresher any time you want to so today should be a normal day again.

Two days later Elfin came to return them to their normal lives she said, "As you know you may return any time you wish to, even if it is just for rest and whatever. But you will need to come again possibly more than once to assimilate some of the vast accumulation of Muggle knowledge, but for now you have work to do in your own world."

Then she asked Hermione if she wanted to be returned as a virgin and Hermione immediately said no, then Elfin explained to her that it was just as well because if she had said yes she would lose her new level of physical fitness as well.

After they had read the note they had written themselves about ten weeks previously, Elfin did say goodbye for now to them and sent them back to their own continuum.

**Authors Note. **There it is over five and a half thousand words and I hope that you like it.

I can write several different stories from this point. One would detail HP and HG's eradication Voldemort and his entourage. Another would take the dynamic duo probably into the realms of Sci-Fi which I would try to make as original as possible. I would like to know what the majority of you would like so **PLEASE REVIEW. **Or I could just write one chapter, kill off all of the bad guys and end the story.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six. 

**Authors Note.** Some of you worry about Harry with super powers, well just because he has them he doesn't have to use them, however in this chapter he does and it is exactly the same with money it is just there it doesn't have to show until needed.

_It is not imperative that you read the following explanation although it will probably prove informative._

**Explanation of Harry's Houses.**

Previous chapters of this story have mentioned several houses belonging to Harry and I have created several houses for Harry in the past the layout of which may be used in this story, if they visit those places, however some of the interior décor might be changed.

The house I created at 'Godric's Hollow' in my story 'H. P. and the Inspiration of Ginevra and Hermione.' Is my vision of that house and if they go to 'Godric's Hollow' that will be where they are going.

'The Potters Wheel,' the main residence in 'H. P. and the Inspiration of Ginevra and Hermione.' I have moved from Merlin's Bridge Nr Haverford West to Fairyhill on the Gower and renamed it 'The Potters Place.' Although Flattery told Tonks in chapter four that it was called 'Potter House,' he was not very well informed, in more ways than one.

Finally, the house at Fairyhill called 'Potter House,' in my story 'A Week in the Life of Harry Potter,' was really far too grand and uncomfortable for ordinary people to live in. It has been renamed 'Château Potter' and moved to the south of 'Sarlat-la-Caneda' which is in the Dordogne in southern France.

Don't forget that there is also an island from Sirius and the ancient family home from Merlin we know of at this time but the story will need to be very long before we visit more than two or three of these places.

However we won't be visiting any of them in this chapter.

The above is just information, I don't want you thinking that you may of read about somewhere that sounds like these places before, now you know where. These stories are still on FF. net at my homepage, so if you have not read them and want something happy to read why not give them a try be aware that they both ship Harry with Hermione and Ginny, let me know what you think.

**Now the Story Continues: Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.**

**Chapter 6. Levelling the Playing Field. **

There was a glow but nothing had happened.

Tonks said, "It didn't work?"

Hermione answered, "I think that I have just spent eight or ten weeks in a library. It was wonderful and that wasn't just the books."

"What time is it?" Harry asked, "I can't remember."

Tonks quickly realised that it had all worked perfectly and answered, "That was blinking instantaneous and it's about three pm, if you had forgotten it's Friday afternoon and Hermione, your parents said that you two didn't have to go to the surgery today."

Harry was looking at his dressing table and he asked, "I have five Portkeys, where would you like to go? Or should we see Amelia first?"

"Why would you want to see my boss? She's very busy, they think that there is going to be something big happening this weekend."

"So, being as there are a hundred and fourteen Death Eaters working in the Ministry that's where we should go then," said Hermione, "your boss it is. Hold our hands and we'll take you there."

"We can't _Apparate_ anywhere in MLE offices." Tonks said.

When they held hands Harry made them all invisible and he said, "You attempt to _Apparate_ into Amelia's office and we will carry you there."

Still invisible they arrived, silently, in Amelia's office and they appeared to be just in time, she was lying unconscious on the floor whilst one of her four assailants was adding some of Amelia's hair to what appeared to be _'Polyjuice Potion'_.

The four assailants fell unconscious to the floor and the trio reappeared, Tonks asked, "What did you do to them?"

"I put them to sleep." Harry answered as he was reviving Director Bones.

Hermione and Tonks helped her back to her chair and when she had pulled herself together she asked, "What happened."

"We have a long story to tell you but that will have to wait for a while." Harry said, "Who are these four?"

Amelia reeled off their names and as she did Hermione vanished sections of their clothing to display their 'Dark Marks' these had been placed on unusual parts of their body's.

"We had better find out what's going on first." Harry said then he pointed to one of the captives, "Is this Zabini?"

When Amelia confirmed Zabini's identity Harry cast, _'Dros Llen'_, _Ystumio Clyw'_, _'Dweud Gwir'_, then he revived her.

Amelia asked, "What have you done to her H…"

Hermione interrupted her, "Sorry but don't use any names, she is temporally blind, her hearing is distorted so she can't recognise voices and whatever we ask her she is compelled to answer fully and honestly."

Harry asked, "What is the big thing that your Dark Lord has planned for today?"

Zabini cackled, "The Dark Lord is going to take over Azkaban at six this evening, he is going to release the imprisoned Death Eaters and the Dementors will join him after they have kissed all of the innocent prisoners."

"What does that mean?" asked Tonks as Zabini went to sleep again.

"That means that it is time to level the playing field, I just wish that it wasn't so soon." Hermione said and then she asked, "Is Kingsley around?"

Amelia answered, "Yes he is in his office will you bring him in please Tonks?"

Tonks went for Kingsley and Harry started producing lists, when Kingsley came in he greeted the couple, "Hi you two you both look well, what's going on?"

Hermione said, "There is no time to explain at the moment but we will later," she showed him one of the lists that Harry had produced with its right hand side folded back and asked, "How many of these people are in the Ministry at the moment?"

Amelia and Kingsley looked at the list and he said, "They are all here! They are in one of Fudge's special meetings in Courtroom ten and the entrance to the Courtroom is being guarded by six Dementors."

She revealed the right hand side of the list that showed them all to be Death Eaters.

Harry said, "It is time to take them all out of the equation, after today all of Voldemort's plans will be in chaos for a while and none of his followers that are in this building now will have any information that we need."

Hermione and Harry went to the four Death Eaters in the room and cast a few spells and the Death Eaters clothes changed into Muggle clothes and they disappeared.

"What have you done with them?" asked Amelia.

"We have made them into Muggles, they have no magic and they won't remember the wizard world." Hermione said, "Then we sent them to the middle of Hyde Park and they only have twenty four hours to live."

"Oh and I also changed their Galleons into Muggle pounds." Added Harry.

Harry waved his hand and he and Hermione were clad in brilliant white robes with hoods, hers had a pale pink cape his with pale blue, of course their faces were concealed and their voices disguised.

"When we dress like this we must be called something, what do you think?" asked Harry.

Smiling Amelia answered straight away, "The Lord and Lady of the Light," and they all agreed.

"If you refer to us as such when we are like this then possibly we will be able to keep our identities hidden for a while." said Harry, "Now we have work to do. Amelia I am afraid that when we eventually leave, we are going to leave you with chaos. I suggest that you get Albus to help you to sort it out. However show him the list of Wizengamot Death Eaters so that he knows what he is dealing with before he tries organising anything and check anyone else he wants to use as well. Come on Tonks first we will sort out Courtroom ten and then Azkaban, any requests as to where we drop Fudge and his entourage?"

"Could you put them all in Azkaban for Voldemort to find?" asked Amelia with a grin.

"You're evil," Hermione said, "and I love it. Your wish is our command."

The three vanished and Kingsley said, "Thank goodness I have never been tempted by the dark. I wouldn't like to cross that pair."

Amelia looked at him and said, "You're the second member, I have already joined that club."

x-x

The first thing the Dementor guards knew of Harry's arrival was that they were bound in a containment field, the next thing that they were aware of was that the souls they had stolen over the years were being extracted from them. Then if they had had sufficient consciousness left they would have realised that they were on the roof of Azkaban along with another containment field, filled with the recently extracted souls.

The trio became visible and leaving Tonks at the beginning of the corridor to prevent anyone inadvertently wandering into Courtroom ten, Hermione and Harry entered the courtroom then they carefully locked door to the room behind themselves.

"What's the meaning of this intrusion," bellowed Fudge, "this is a private meeting."

Hermione gave a very false tinkling laugh, "Death Eater meeting's in the Ministry of Magic are private now are they? I was under the impression that they were illegal and the participants were to be punished, quite severely."

"Who are you?" Fudge bellowed again.

"It is not our normal practice to talk to rude, evil people but we will tell you whom we are so you know what to call those who are about to destroy you." Harry said, "We are the Lord and Lady of the Light, now that the pleasantries are over let us cast this little spell, _'Yfed Oes'."_ The last two words they had spoken together and a golden glow came from all of the Death Eaters and flowed into the pair at the front.

"Now we will cast the next one together as well _'Mundo Cyfareddol'_." This time the glow was silver and at first it appeared to flow into three containers but it appeared that two of them were quickly filled and vanished the third accommodated the rest of the flow then it to disappeared.

"So what do you think that you have done to us?" Fudge was still managing to bluster.

"Well," said the Lady, "the first spell drained everyone's life force so now you each have about three hours to live."

"The second spell," said the Lord, "has removed everybody's magic and I am glad to say that you are now all Squibs, a good feeling isn't it?"

The room full of Death Eaters were all trying to use their wands and failing spectacularly.

"I am afraid that now we must away," she said dramatically, "to Azkaban to prepare it for your arrival and that of the half blood Tom Riddle, Voldemort I believe he now calls himself. If he is on time you should all still be alive when he arrives. Oh and we should do this before we leave."

Hermione waved her hand and substantial parts of everyone's clothing disappeared revealing their Dark Mark's, Harry's wave caused each of the Death Eaters to glow for a second and Hermione knew it to be a tracking charm.

Wherever they were they would be brought when they were summoned.

The couple departed leaving the courtroom door open, as they were going up the corridor they confirmed that they had collected over seven thousand years each from the courtroom.

They found Tonks backed up by Amelia and several Aurors facing an apparently mildly irritated Dumbledore, however his eyes were twinkling, he was with four other wizards.

"Good afternoon Albus," said the Lord, "the door is open you may question those convicted by Amoon," at the sound of the name Dumbledore's eyes opened wide, "take this with you it is a list of the charges against Fudge."

"You can't ride roughshod over all of the authorities just who do you think you are?" said a middle-aged wizard.

"You are Marcus Tregoswick," the Lady said, "member of the Wizengamot and a Death Eater, oh and we have another three, four of the five are here so we don't have to go looking for you. How sweet of you to come."

The pair waved their hands a piece of paper appeared in Hermione's hand and first showing it to Amelia and then passing it to Dumbledore she said, "That one is still at large, you can see this lot's Dark Marks, they are now squibs as are the collection in Courtroom ten. We have received instructions to put them all into Azkaban so we have to go to remove the innocents and make it ready for their arrival, we will see you later to explain more fully. May we borrow some young Aurors please Director?"

"Tonks collect the six new girls on your way out and good luck you three."

The three arrived in the MLE corridor and Tonks led them to the open office where Tonks quickly collected the six young Aurors who they told to bring warm cloaks and the nine disappeared to Azkaban.

When they arrive on the roof Harry positioned all of the Aurors as far from the door that concealed the stairs down into the prison as possible and he stood Hermione in a defensive position in front of them. Then he positioned the two containment fields one containing souls and the other with the powerless dementors either side of the door.

He opened the door and called the Dementors.

The dementors came quickly sensing the fresh souls on the roof, but they didn't come quicker than Harry could separate them from their cargo of souls and imprison them with their cousins. When they were all accounted for he shrank the container of helpless Dementors and banished it.

"That banishing charm used a lot of magic," Hermione said, "where did you send them."

"Well I don't know if they will survive a few million years in the sun," he said, "but that is where I sent them."

The souls, which he had he put into the other container he and his love released, having to feed life force into many of these freed souls because they were extremely weak from their long captivity.

Next Harry summoned, from the cells, the non Death Eater prisoners most of whom were also very weak and these were transferred by the young Aurors, to the secure wards at St Mungo's hospital.

Lastly they summoned the Death Eater prisoners then the Lord and Lady reduced their life to two and a half hours and added the timer so that they would know the instant of their death was approaching.

After the pair had removed the prisoners' magic Lucius Malfoy said, "So what do you pair of clowns think that you are up to?"

Hermione answered, "We are the Lord and Lady of the Light and we have levelled the playing field for Harry Potter in his conflict with the half blood Tom Riddle who you know as Voldemort. Watch."

The prisoners from Courtroom ten were summoned along with the four Wizengamot members and the Death Eaters on the roof were forced to watch as they were incarcerated in Azkaban before they themselves were returned to their cells.

"Are we finished?" asked Tonks.

"No, next it's St Mungo's," said Harry.

"You must be totally knackered!" Tonks said as she took hold of their hands.

"Yes!" the pair of them replied as they disappeared from Azkaban to the reception area of the hospital.

"You have about two hours before your mum and dad are due home Hermione," whispered Tonks as they arrived in St Mungo's, "we will have to go home before then."

The Lord and Lady of the Light worked solidly for about an hour, by which time they had seen all of those from Azkaban who were in a seriously weakened condition. Tonks gave the senior Auror present one of Harry's lists containing all of the prisoners with their alleged crimes; the vast majority were innocent having simply been moved out of the way by Fudge as part of his contribution to Voldemort's cause.

Then they went to see the Longbottoms.

Frank and Alice had to be worked on individually by both of them at the same time and it was three quarters of an hour before they left for home. The hospital staff had been instructed to ensure that Neville and some of their friends from the old days were there when they woke up, their minds with their memories had been repaired but they been cruelly cut off about fourteen and a half years previously.

Completely exhausted they went home and Tonks asked them, "You didn't ask me to try to Apparate here, why?"

Hermione answered, "I don't think that we actually Apparate, that is why the wards don't stop us, when we ask you to help it is because we don't know 'spatially' where we are going. Once we do we don't need help also I think that we will soon become used to what we are doing and then we will be able to go anywhere we have been before, after that who knows?"

Then Harry asked, "Tonks, we need to have a shower before Hermione's parents get home, how difficult would it be for you to go and see how Amelia, Kingsley and Dumbledore are getting on? Only if absolutely necessary should people be invited here this evening for explanations."

"It will be quite easy for me." Tonks said, "You two go and have your showers, I will see you both later."

When they reached the landing up stairs Hermione took hold of Harry's amulet and thought, _'Library.'_

x-x

Once more they were wearing only sarongs and Hermione wasted no time removing hers and then his.

She simply said, "Please make love to me."

An hour and a half later they fell asleep, their lovemaking had at first been frantic but had gradually mellowed to become a very gentle and calming influence on them.

They had no way of measuring it but they had slept for sixteen hours, what they did realise was that they were starving hungry but they also knew that they would be having dinner within a couple of hours of returning. So they contented themselves with a pile of bacon sandwiches, which took the edge off their hunger, and as they were finishing Elfin arrived.

After greeting them she said, "You did the right thing, it was extremely lucky that you were in time because sorting the chaos out after the weekend would have been a lot messier. Tell me Harry why did you not stop and finish Voldemort at Azkaban?"

"I thought about it," he said, "and I decided that we needed to get rid of all, or nearly all of the Death Eaters first, otherwise the remnants might well split up into small groups and become far more difficult to eradicate."

"So what are you going to do about Snape Harry?" Elfin asked.

"We will more than likely see the Headmaster when we get back to Hermione's and I will tell him to get a new Potions Master." Harry said, "Then I will show everyone Amoon's assessment and that will force him to act, whatever, Snape will not be around to persecute students next school year."

Elfin asked, "Are you sure that you are not just being vindictive?"

Harry laughed, "No, not just vindictive, although getting rid of the slimy git will give me certain satisfaction. There will be rejoicing throughout three houses because of the change. I wonder just how many students have chosen second option career paths to avoid Advanced Potions with Snape. I did think about the Dursleys but I decided to just leave them to it, I will clear my things out and find somewhere to stay, I do have four houses."

Hermione had been quiet for a while but now she spoke, "You will stay with us silly, my mum keeps asking me when we can get you away from number four permanently."

"Once again, you have done very well," said Elfin, "I will leave you now and see you next time."

When Elfin had left the couple stood and kissed then she held his amulet thinking, _'Return.'_

x-x

After kissing again they went into their rooms to change their clothes and then they made their way back down stairs to the garden where they walked until Hermione's parents came home.

"You two are looking well today," said Jane, "you must have had a good sleep?"

"You don't know half," answered Hermione, "we have also spent a couple of months in the 'Library of the Ancients,' studying and keeping fit. We have been talking and Harry would like to leave number four and you said that you would like him to come and live here. So…"

Matt interrupted, "We would love Harry to come and live here if he wants to."

Harry had a huge smile and thanked the Grangers profusely, then he said, "Let me try to help a little and I don't want to hear a sound out of Hermione until I have finished. It appears that I have over a dozen House Elves and I am sure that if we spend the weekend visiting some of my houses we will be able to find one who will be willing to help out by cooking and cleaning in this house. This bit is specially for my love who looks about to explode." This was not an exaggeration. "The Potter House Elves are employed on one of the original Elf Wizard mutual benefit contracts and Tonks told me that if you talk to Remus about it, it will help you with your Elf rights campaign."

Hermione was looking totally confused, she didn't know whether to scream and hit him or to kiss him then Matt said, "Come on Harry, let's go to number four and get your things."

When Matt and Harry had left, Jane smiled at her daughter and said, "Sounds good, eight weeks alone in a Library with a boy who you have been trying to eat for days. Do you want to tell me about it?"

So Hermione told her mother a lot obviously glossing over the details of some of the things and omitting everything that she wasn't permitted to tell, by the end her mother was extremely surprised, but also very happy for her daughter.

Harry and Matt arrived at number four luckily only his aunt was home, so while Matt was explaining to Petunia, Harry went up to his room and quickly packed everything he wanted to take. He came down stairs with his trunk in one hand and Hedwig's cage in the other, for some reason he did not want to spend any more time in the house than absolutely necessary.

When Matt and Harry arrived back Hermione was helping her mum prepare dinner because they were all hungry; also for Hermione and Harry it was ten weeks since she had had a meal with her parents.

At about seven that evening, half a dozen witches and wizards joined the four people already sitting on the patio the visitors were Tonks, Remus, Amelia, Kingsley, Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster.

The amount of information each of the guests had was different, so Hermione and Harry told them everything that they believed was necessary for the authorities to know and understand.

It totally silenced the whole gathering.

After about three minutes Harry said, "We must have a new Potions Master for next year."

The Headmaster said, "I trust Professor Snape, he is not a Death Eater."

Hermione produced a piece of parchment, she made five copies of it, everybody realised that she did not use a wand and then she said, "I am sorry to tell you Headmaster that you are misjudging Snape." Now they all realised that for the first time ever she hadn't used an honorific for the Potions Professor; she handed a copy of the parchment she had produced to each of the witches and wizards who without exception looked at it with horror.

Professor McGonagall was the first to recover, she said, "How reliable is this information?"

Dumbledore stated, "If this came from the Library then it is one hundred percent reliable."

"It came from the library." Hermione said sadly, "Whatever else happens Snape will not be with us come the beginning of the next school year. His sole ambition is to be the next Dark Lord."

Changing the subject, Kingsley asked, "Why didn't you wait for Voldemort earlier on Harry? Aren't you ready for him yet?"

"Voldemort still has about six hundred and fifty Death Eaters, even after today's clearout." Harry said, "If I remove Voldemort as their focus they would start running around like headless chickens. In ones, two's or bigger groups they would cause chaos and provide a devil of a mess for you Aurors to clean up. Ideally Hermione and I would like to meet Voldemort, all of his dark creatures and all of his Death Eaters at the same time. I would willingly settle for ninety percent of that with or without Voldemort, I can always find him. So the answer to your question Kingsley is that I will deal with Voldemort when the time is right unless he personally starts to make too much of a nuisance of himself."

Changing the subject Hermione asked, "Who will be the next Minister for Magic?"

Remus said, "Nobody has any real idea yet, but Amelia is doing it temporarily."

Hermione asked, "Would you like to be Minister Amelia?"

"Yes I would," she answered, "and then Kingsley would make an excellent Director of Magical Law Enforcement."

The Headmaster said, "I rather think that Amos Diggory should be the next Minister."

"When did you last have your hearing checked Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked brusquely. "I don't think that you have heard a thing these young people have told you. Amos is a nice enough chap but he is simply a step sideways from Fudge, we still have six hundred and fifty Death Eaters with their boss to get rid of and Amos would be in the way playing politics."

"We also want to suggest some changes to Hogwarts, Professor." Hermione said, changing the subject herself, "First, Harry wants to set up 'The Lilly Potter Trust,' it would provide for Muggle born and poor families who may have difficulty paying for a Hogwarts education, with all of the extras."

"There will be no limits set on the funds for the 'Lilly Potter Trust,' they would simply be as required." Harry said, "At the moment I am not sure what to call the other, 'The Prongs Project,' seems to be the only name I can think of at the moment, but I am tired, we can probably do better when we are more awake. This will be part of the organisation that will attempt to integrate Muggle science with magic, obviously it is an extremely long term scheme for the protection and advancement of the human race, as a whole."

Later that evening the last two to leave were Tonks and her boss, Harry asked, "Do you think that we will have trouble with Dumbledore trying to make Amos into Minister?"

"Yes!" said Amelia straight away, "Dumbledore is a manipulator and Diggory he can manipulate, that's what he wants."

"So it's sod the good of the wizard world, do what I want." Tonks was not happy.

Hermione started, "Minister…"

Amelia interrupted, "If you don't call me Amelia I will call you 'my Lady' and see how you like it." However she was grinning.

Hermione smiled back, "Amelia, how about you writing a letter, tonight, to the 'Daily Prophet' outlining what has happened this afternoon, play up the Auror involvement and how much it will help in your fight against the dark side. We, no Harry will write to the 'Daily Prophet' tonight saying how much this will help him in his fight against Voldemort and that we should have a strong Minister like you to aid the fight against Voldemort. Just don't be disappointed if Harry gets more coverage than you do. The compensation will be that you will probably wake up as Minister for Magic."

Amelia laughed and agreed to write as soon as she arrived home, then she and Tonks who had volunteered to help her said goodnight and left.

The couple went up to Harry's room and wrote the letter that Harry signed then they sent Hedwig with it to the 'Daily Prophet' editorial offices saying, 'let them make of it what they will'.

After several long lingering kisses Hermione and Harry went to their separate beds for the first time in what for them was weeks, they were not terribly happy about it.

x-x

**Authors Notes.** Was that last line and a half nearly Angst?

A slightly more serious question, what should Harry do to Snape when he eventually finds him? **PLEASE REVIEW. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six. 

**Authors Note.** Things are a bit quieter in this chapter; I hope that you like it.

I am having difficulty keeping up with writing and editing the nine thousand words a week required to regularly update this story and H.P. Love is all You Need so either or both could start slipping.

**Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.**

**Chapter 7. Saturday Morning. **

Hermione came into Harry's room at six thirty on Saturday morning to start kissing him and she told him that she had been lying awake since five missing him terribly, he told her that he had been awake at least as long as she had and he was feeling exactly the same way.

Then Hermione asked, "Why do you think that it was so easy to get rid of those Death Eaters, our level seems way above theirs?"

"I have been thinking about much the same thing," Harry answered, "and the only conclusion I can reach is that in the greater scheme of what we have to achieve Voldemort is no more than an annoyance to be removed so that we can concentrate on the really important things. Do you think that we were a bit blasé in Courtroom ten?"

She thought for a minute and said, "No. There and at Azkaban we were sending a message to Voldemort, if he has any sense at all he will know that he should be on the defensive, I think that if he were to try to attack us it would be all over in no time."

She was lying on top of the bedclothes and they languished into silence, Hermione had left the bedroom door wide open so at seven thirty her mother came in she asked, "Have you been in here all night?"

"No," Hermione answered, "Although I wish that I had but I came in about an hour ago I just couldn't stay away any longer and we have just been talking mostly. We'll get up now that you are awake."

Jane went down stairs as Hermione tumbled Harry out of bed so they followed her mother downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast.

Just as they were sitting down an owl arrived carrying a copy of the 'Daily Prophet' Harry removed the paper and the bird flew away, without waiting to be paid, which Hermione remarked upon as being unusual, even special editions normally had to be paid for.

As they were opening the paper Tonks came in and they realised why the owl hadn't waited to be paid.

The headline across the top of the page read.

**Fudge with 116 Death Eaters Removed from the Ministry by Aurors and**

'**The Lord and Lady of the Light'**

Underneath was a photograph of the Lord and Lady taken when they had arrived in the reception of St Mungos Hospital, there was a small write-up on the front page and it was continued on pages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

However across the centre of the page was the reason why they didn't have to pay for the paper, another bolder headline read;

**HARRY POTTER SAYS 'AMELIA BONES' SHOULD BE NEXT 'MINISTER FOR MAGIC'.**

Underneath the headline Harry's letter extolling the virtues of Amelia's fight against the dark side despite Fudge's best efforts was printed in its entirety.

Just as they had finished breakfast there was a knock on the front door, Matt went to answer it.

It was Amelia and after greeting them with a big grin she said, "Greetings Oh Lord and Lady of the Light from the newly appointed Minister for Magic and I thank you for your letter. I am not sure that Dumbledore will be too pleased but I had the necessary majority of votes by eight o'clock this morning, including one from Amos."

Yawning Tonks said, "God I'm tired we didn't get to sleep until four this morning. Amos is a politician Minister, he knows that there are some plum jobs going after the clearout yesterday."

Amelia asked, "Talking of plum jobs, is there anyone who you think deserves a plum job Harry?"

"Well, Tonks already has a plum job looking after me," he answered with a deadpan expression gaining snorts from several people, a poked out tongue from Tonks and a playful slap from Hermione, "is there anything going to do with Muggles? Because I think that Arthur Weasley deserves promotion, but he loves working with Muggles."

"I had already decided to make Tonks a Senior Auror at the first opportunity, so that will happen on Monday."

She continued, "Zachariah Balustraté, one of the most bigoted pure bloods I have ever had the misfortune to come across, went in yesterday's clearout so the 'Director of Muggle Liaison' job is up for grabs. Thank you for reminding me about Arthur, he's a good man Harry. So I will go now and persuade Arthur that what he really wants is to be 'Director of Muggle Liaison' and if I were you lot I would disappear somewhere away from here for the weekend. I will get some of my people to keep an eye on the house," and after saying goodbye she _'Apparated'_ away.

x-x

At more or less the same time that 'The Daily Prophet' had arrived in Little Whinging a copy arrived in the Burrow, Ginny was sat at the table so she took the paper from the delivery owl and opened it.

"Mum look at this." She said in a hushed voice.

Molly took one look and called up the stairs, "Arthur come quickly and look at the paper."

He arrived in the kitchen in seconds and was quickly shown the paper; the three of them sat reading it.

A few minutes later there was a small tap on the open back door and Amelia Bones voice called, "May I come in please?"

"Of course," called Arthur, "what can I do for you Director Bones?"

"Save your congratulations for the moment, but it is no longer Director it is Minister, thanks to Harry, that letter persuaded the other possible candidates that it was safer not to fight. As you can see from the paper, most of the top echelons of the Ministry have been decimated by the Death Eater clearout and I really need someone who knows and likes Muggles to run the department, would you please do it for me Arthur? You get to call me Amelia if you accept."

Ginny and Molly realised what was being offered slightly quicker than unassuming Arthur and their eyes went wide, then Arthur asked incredulously, "Director?"

"Yes," she said, "Director of Muggle Liaison."

Arthur was totally shocked so Ginny pointed to the picture on the front page of the paper and said, "I swear that we will tell no one, but that is Hermione and Harry isn't it and have they been working out or something."

Amelia started writing on a card as she answered, "I believe that none of you will break their trust so I will tell you, yes it is them."

Molly and Arthur were flabbergasted and he said, "Those two did all of this, Amelia?"

"They were absolutely incredible," Amelia said, "and I am glad that you have accepted the job Arthur. Because I know that you wouldn't want to get yourself in trouble by calling me Amelia would you?" She was smiling as she passed the card she had written to Ginny and continued, "Please come, it is Susan's birthday and you will be most welcome, it starts at midday in the pool and I have absolutely no idea when or where it might finish."

A short time later Amelia and Arthur left for the Ministry, they had a lot of organising to do before Monday morning.

Molly asked her daughter, "How did you recognise Harry and Hermione with them dressed like that?"

Ginny smirked, "I have seen Harry enough times in his Quidditch tights to recognise him anywhere."

"Ginevra Weasley!" Molly said sternly, then she hesitated and giggling added, "He is a big boy though, isn't he?"

Ginny just smiled and went up to her room to write a letter.

x-x

Jane asked, "Where shall we go then?"

"The Potters Place." Hermione answered immediately.

"Why there?" asked Matt.

"Harry has said that he doesn't want to go to Godric's Hollow," Hermione stated. "Goodness knows what we will find when we go to the island that Sirius left him, or for that matter his original family home that Merlin told him about yesterday. Château Potter sounds a bit grand more like a posh holiday than a hopefully relaxing weekend so I concluded that 'the Potters Place' was the most logical choice for us." 

"It sounds like 'the Potters Place' in fifteen minutes to me. Do you want to go and get everything you want for the weekend Senior Auror Tonks?" Asked Harry cheekily.

"Certainly me Lord," said Tonks, saluting then poking her tongue out again then she Apparated away to get her things.

Twelve minutes later when Tonks returned she had Remus with her and she told them, "You said that I was to bring what I wanted for the weekend, so I brought Remus, oh and some clothes of course."

After greeting Remus the six of them took hold of the Portkey, this looked like a four foot long silken cord from a dressing gown and Harry touched it with his wand; it was nothing like a normal Portkey.

It seemed that they were floating on clouds but only for a few seconds then they settled in a very nice entrance hall and their backs were to a door that Remus assured them was the exit to the front garden. To their left was a very large fireplace that had a big tub of Floo powder next to it and to the right hand side of them was a very strange looking door.

The double doors in front of them were opened by two female house elves and Remus said, "Hello Jemma and it's Jiffs isn't it?"

Both elves smiled and the taller of the two, who was wearing a red kimono, said, "Yes she is Jiffs and I am Jemma, if you don't mind she will go and bring the rest of the staff to meet the new master of the house?"

Harry smiled and said, "We don't mind at all Jemma."

After Jiffs disappeared Jemma looked at Harry and said, "As you have probably gathered I am the Senior Housekeeper and you are so like your father and mother Harry, I will be very happy to be your friend."

"And I will be very happy to be yours Jemma." Harry said his smile widening.

Hermione's lovely smiling face held a look of wonder and happiness.

Jiffs arrived with the other elves, the females were all wearing different coloured kimonos, so Jemma started to introduce them, "Jiffs is the Librarian and she will find you anything you may require from the library."

"Next we have, no let's do the one who is fidgeting he is Lodi the gardener," he was wearing a shirt and trousers, "and he is in the middle of setting out some Mandrakes so he thinks that his time would be better spent in his greenhouse, go on back to your greenhouse then." At these words from Jemma Lodi disappeared with a pop. "Actually Lodi is also an expert with potions so if ever there is anything you need all you have to do is call him."

Four of the visitors were smiling but Matt and Jane looked confused so Remus said to them, "Really Mandrakes are a pain, I don't envy him having to set them out and I think that if you are up for it we should find some books for you to read." Matt and Jane were nodding in agreement.

"Ok, so Suria is next she is the cook," Jemma said, "and her job is just as important as Lodi's, some would say more so."

"Now we come to Memo who, apart from all of the normal house elf duties which we all do, is an expert on Muggle installations in magical environments, we have electric lights, telephones, computers, television and things." Memo was also wearing a shirt and trousers.

"Finally we come to Mimi who is a ladies maid, she will do your hair, nails and help you to dress, if you want her to."

Jemma had come to the end of her introductions so Harry started his, "As you all seem to know I am Harry, Harry Potter and I would like to be your friend if you will let me? You all seem to know Remus as well and the young lady with him is Tonks she is a Senior Auror and they are both my friends, I hope that you will be friends with them as well."

"The lovely young lady next to me is Hermione, she is my fiancé and I am certain that she wants to be your friend," Hermione had one of the biggest smiles on her face he had ever seen.

"Lastly, Hermione's mother and father are called Jane and Matt, I know that they will want to be your friends but they are Muggles and I don't think that they have ever met house elves before. So if they ask you some strange questions about yourselves or other thing around the house please try to answer them or if you can't tell them to ask one of us and we will try to explain."

The party moved through into the inner hall it was large, thirty-five foot by fifty-five foot at a guess and they would find that comfortable understated elegance could well be used to describe virtually the whole house not just this hall.

Everyone was talking amongst themselves when Jemma said loudly, "I am happy to see that you have all brought bags, we hope that you are going to stay for a long time. Harry, Memo will take your bag and Hermione's he will put them into the Master and Mistress's rooms. The others can leave their bags here to be brought up after Mimi has taken them around so that they can find suitable rooms for themselves; but you should come with me, to take control of your house."

Hermione happily held Harry's hand and was almost skipping as they followed Jemma across the inner hall; they went through a door to the right of the main staircase, which the others had started climbing following Mimi. A short way up the corridor they took the second door on their left, Hermione took four or five paces into the room, she thought that she had died and gone to heaven. There were ten-foot wide double-sided floor to ceiling bookcases disappearing into the distance and the ceiling was at least twenty foot up.

"We lost count about one hundred and fifty years ago when we passed fifty thousand volumes," Jiffs said to her in answer to her unasked question, Jiffs had reached the library before them, "and I have taken the liberty of placing some books about the wizard world also some about the house in the reading room for you and your visitors."

"Thank you Jiffs," Hermione said still in a daze.

A voice from behind them said, "We all are aware that you are the Lord and Lady of the Light and none of us will tell anybody."

Turning around they saw a large portrait of Godric Gryffindor, Harry smiled and said, "Good morning sir, it's nice to see you again."

"You should not call me sir, call me Godric and that applies to both of you." Godric continued, "If you are doing the rounds then I had better let you get on before I get myself into trouble, again, I usually manage it somehow."

Jemma led them out of the library and straight across the corridor into a reading room, it was not small but it was extremely comfortable, almost cosy, a portrait of Merlin said, "Hello again you two, started slaying the dragons already we hear. So you just have a quick look in here for now, we will have plenty of time to talk in the future."

After greeting Merlin the pair of them took a quick look around at the small tables, a couple of desks, three very comfortable looking sofas and six armchairs in the room then independently concluded that it looked remarkably like the Gryffindor common room. There were a few bookcases with some books in them and Harry realised that the room had electric lighting although it appeared to be controlled and directed magically.

Leading them back into the corridor they turned right and continued on down the corridor into a very large, well equipped kitchen, bypassing some stairs on their left Jemma led them to the second door on the left and said, "You just have to open this door normally Harry, now you have entered the house nobody else will be able to enter this room unless you give them permission."

Harry opened the door and the house seemed to take a deep breath and pull itself up straight, he said, "That was weird, the door opened just like a normal door but the effect was, well weird as I said."

Jemma said, "You have to hold the door handle and tell the door who is allowed to enter the room at any time without you being present, the elves need to be able to clean and anybody else you think, but for the moment I would limit access to Hermione and us."

He knew that it was no good feeling stupid where magic was concerned so he held the door handle and said to the door, "I give my elf friends and Miss Hermione Jane Granger permission to enter this room whenever they need to."

Then they entered a beautifully comfortable room that could well be described as a hideaway, it was a bit of everything. It was around thirty by twenty foot and there was a large picture window in one wall, which over looked a tranquil garden.

There was a fascinating assortment of very comfortable looking furniture spread around the room but before they had time to look at it a voice they knew well said, "Good morning you two how are you now?"

"Elfin!" They both said at the same time and Hermione continued, "Why didn't you tell us that you could come here?"

Jemma squealed, "Great mother!" she gasped as she threw herself flat on the floor in front of the picture and then she started crying.

"Stop crying my child." Elfin said, in a most soothing motherly tone, "I have come to help the Lord and Lady free you all from your bonds. Now come on up you get," Hermione was helping Jemma up, "you must be strong to help and support them."

Jemma pulled herself together and apologised saying, "Sorry Great Mother."

"There's a good girl," said Elfin, "now you give Harry his book, then you go and make sure that Hermione's room is ready for her, I won't be long but I need to talk to both of them. And Jemma, rest assured that 'everything' will be put to rights."

After taking a book from a shelf and handing it to Harry, Jemma left the room and Elfin continued, "There is a long story of deception, abuse and neglect pertaining to the enslavement of the elves, it is detailed in this book." A book floated from a bookcase into Hermione's hand, "You read that one whilst Harry reads his. The elves call me Gaia the great Earth Mother and it matters not that the elves know that I was here, to them I am the ultimate symbol of freedom, but nobody else should see me here without our prior agreement, so only call me in this place when you are alone."

"Now before I leave I need to teach you two spells the first, _'Rhyddhau hwn ellyll wrth caethiwed,'_ this means, free this elf from bondage, it is like _'finite incantatem'_ for you and it will release the original bondage spells from a single elf. Jemma will help you because the effect will be extremely noticeable and you should use it on at least some of your own elves to assess its effect, before using it on any others."

"The second is far more powerful and will only ever need to be cast once. It must be cast by both of you simultaneously and it will have the same effect as the lesser spell but on all elves throughout the world so you must carefully choose the right time to use it. The incantation is, _'Rhyddhau holl coblyn wrth caethiwed,'_ talk to your friend Amelia there are some big meetings coming concerning magical beings and creatures, which the Lord and Lady should attend, please right this wrong."

Elfin disappeared from the picture frame and was replaced by the view of an impressive old stone castle perched on top of an island which rose in shear cliffs from the middle of a lake, on a small brass plate was the inscription 'Babilon'.

"Well that doesn't look like it's in Iraq." Harry said looking at the picture, he continued, "So what should we do now?"

"Elfin seemed to think that we should read these books straight away, they're not very thick so they should only take about fifteen minutes to read." Hermione said, "But I rather wanted to make love to you for a couple of hours, what do you think?"

He gave her a lingering kiss and said, "I think that we should first read the books because we have never been able to take anything to the Library, then to give ourselves time to digest what we have read we should go to the Library for a swim and whatever."

Returning his kiss she said with a cheeky smile, "Well I am certainly up for the whatever."

Settling themselves on a nearby sofa they quickly read their books, when they had finished Hermione was obviously steaming but Harry held her Amulet and said, _"Library."_

Before she knew what was happening her sarong was gone and Harry had picker her up, at the same time as he was kissing her he was carrying her somewhere, then he jumped into the pool; the couple surfaced a minute or so later to break the kiss and take on air. Another five minutes of him kissing her every time she tried to rant about her book and she couldn't care less about the book, then they started making love.

In the Library, the only guide they had as to the time was their hunger, after Hermione eventually finished telling him what her book had said about the elves they had made love once again and then fallen asleep. Having just awakened they were very hungry, so they had a shower and went back to the room in the Potters Place he had mentally christened the hideaway.

It was eleven fifteen, lunch would be about another two hours so they went to see Suria and were given a couple of fairly large Cornish Pasties, which they proceeded to eat as they were still warm. Halfway through eating their pasties they noticed tiny fuzz ball whizzing around the kitchen, it was Pig, Ron's owl and Suria said, "He has been here a few minutes but he wouldn't let us catch him Harry."

Having seeker reflexes he grabbed the owl out of mid air and whilst Hermione was removing the letter Pig was carrying he said, "Don't worry Suria this owl is always the same, this is just an insane courier."

Hermione removed the letter from the owl and read it so Harry released Pig who disappeared out through an open window, she said, "Ginny wants to come and see us. Of course she doesn't know that we are here, so what should we tell her?"

Harry thought for a moment and then he said, "Well we could go by Floo and see her, I can soon open it all of that sort of thing was in the book I read, although we should tell the others where we are going, so that they don't worry.

Do you know where the others are Suria?"

"Now they are in the reading room talking to Merlin, Harry." Suria answered.

"Thanks Suria." Harry said as they left the kitchen heading for the reading room.

The happy couple arrived in the kitchen of the Burrow to the surprise of Ginny and her mum who were about to have a cup of tea, but the pair were soon engulfed in cuddles from Molly.

Ginny had a big grin and she said, "Well my Lord and Lady what matter of great import brings you to the modest abode of such a lowly scullion as myself?"

Hermione was grinning, "Forsooth comely maiden 'twas thou who requested visitation upon us and we have made pilgrimage from afar to carry you off unto our domicile of this time."

Ginny was looking confused, "Sorry Hermione but what did you just say?"

"Oh it's my fault." Hermione apologised, "When you called yourself a scullion, I thought that you had been in a school play like I was when I was about eight or nine, that's where I learned loads of that stuff. Any way we are spending the weekend in one of Harry's houses and we wondered if you would like to join us?"

"Scullion was something that Malfoy called me so I looked it up, I still owe him for that." Ginny said, "But yes I would love to come if mum doesn't mind."

Molly said, "Of course you can go, I would like to come as well but Arthur is in work and it wouldn't be fair for me to go gallivanting off all over the place. Go and get your things then."

Ten minutes later, Molly having told them about Arthur's promotion, the three of them arrived by Portkey in the hall of 'the Potters Place.' Jemma met them and she had Jane with her, after Ginny had been introduced to the pair the housekeeper said, "You have not seen your rooms yet so I will show them to you and we can find a suitable one for Ginny at the same time."

So the quintet walked straight across the inner hall and up the main staircase, bearing left then right they passed another staircase on their left and Jemma told them, "These lead up to the other two floors and the roof, the other side goes down to the kitchen you have seen them there."

She continued by leading them to the left and straight through the door in front of them, "I thought that Ginny would like this room?"

The room was very pale lemon, it looked about twenty by twenty-five feet with two doors in the middle of the end wall there was a desk with a chair, a bookcase, a pair of comfortable armchairs, two bedside cabinets and a seven foot square bed. Going through the left hand door they entered a fifteen by ten-foot dressing room, "You don't want me to run out of space hanging up my things, do you Harry?" Ginny said as she rested her small bag on a chair.

"None of us has brought any more clothes than you Ginny." Hermione said as they came out of the dressing room and entered the bathroom, it was spectacular; the bath was five by ten foot, the shower was five foot square, there were double inset marble sinks and there was a separate little room with a w/c and bidet.

"So will this do Ginny?" Harry asked with a small smile.

She answered with a smile of her own, "Well if I were to close off a third of the dressing room and stay in the other bit then I could pretend that I was in my room in the Burrow. I love it Harry, thank you and thank you too Jemma."

"We have two more rooms to see before lunch, next Hermione's room." Jemma told them as she led them out of Ginny's room; thirty-yards straight to the far end of the corridor and into another identical bedroom except this one was very pale blue. It did not take long for Hermione to decide that she liked her room.

As they were leaving to go to Harry's room Jemma said, "You three go on it's the door in the middle, I must just show Hermione this." She led her into the dressing room and told her to quickly step through the mirror and back again.

When Hermione arrived back she had a big smile on her face and she said to Jemma, "That was Harry's dressing room, wasn't it?"

Jemma was nodding and Hermione gave her a big hug then as they followed after the others Jemma said quietly, "Elfin asked me to make this ready for you, you and Harry are the only ones who can use that portal."

"I like the room a lot better now." Hermione said with a big smile.

Harry's room was red with gold, it was considerably larger than the girl's room's with four comfortable chairs, two sofas, a telephone and it also had a nine-foot square bed with two bedside cabinets. However in general ambiance it was much the same as the other two rooms they had seen, the bathroom and the dressing room were identical.

The verdict was unanimous they all liked Harry's home and so they went to lunch.

**Authors Notes**. As you all know 'many reviews make write work' what a horrible play on words, or should I adopt it as a slogan?

To put me out of my misery** PLEASE REVIEW**.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six. 

**Authors Note.** There have been a few mutterings from some of you about Harry's super powers and him not being the underdog. Firstly without super powers Voldemort creates angst for our heroes and I do not create angst for H & H. Secondly if I write this story to my currently perceived conclusion then H & H will need their Power for what they have to achieve.

By the way, I do not plan any of my stories other than a general idea in my head I think of a starting point and an ending then they have to find their own way. I do sometimes keep notes of things I want to include and in my Excel I have calendars that run from 1990 to 1998 to keep me on track. But the stories have to write themselves and that is why I need a lot of encouragement.

**Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.**

**Chapter 8. Saturday Afternoon. **

Lunch was one of the nicest meals any of them could remember eating, Suria was a very good cook and when they were eating their deserts they all started talking.

Hermione called all of the elves to them and they sat with everyone around the table then she started telling the others about the enslavement of the house elves. "About five hundred years ago the elves decided that they were getting restless because they did not have enough to do, their whole way of life was becoming stagnant, so the elf leaders went to the leaders of the magic world and offered their services as part time helpers.

Everything went well for about three hundred and fifty years when a powerful dark wizard by the name of Cresco Malfoy decided that he wanted his servants to be more like slaves and to work full time not part time. Malfoy disappeared for about thirty years and reappeared looking exactly the same as he had when he vanished but very much more powerful and calling himself Mephisto Malfoy."

Her mother interrupted Hermione, "Mephisto is another name for the devil, isn't it?"

"Suits the bloody Malfoys!" Ginny said blushing.

Hermione continued, "You might well be right mum it certainly would fit. Anyway to cut a long story short, Malfoy cast an enchantment that changed all of the elves into house elves and effectively enslaved them to him. It is why only the rich can have house elves a stipend has to be paid annually to the Malfoys, that is where the majority of their money and power comes from."

Tonks asked, "So what can you do about it?"

It was Harry who replied, "We have been given some spells, one of them will remove the enchantments from individual house elves," all of the house elves started fidgeting, "and return them to their original state. We have been asked by Jemma's friend for her to decide whom we should free first and I am asking her if she would like to decide now?"

All of the house elves started chattering and it did not stop for about five minutes then Jemma said, "Obviously we would all like to be free of this curse but the world is not the same place as it was when we were enslaved, so I have had to explain to them that even when they are freed they will have to remain living here where they are safe. Previously we were free to roam all of the Great Forests and moor's also Malfoy Manor didn't exist and the land it is on, also all of the land surrounding belonged to the elves but now it will take time to restore the balance.

The elves have no love for the Malfoy's and we believe that there is only one left, the mother is innocent, we ask that when you have finished with him you do not kill him we would like you to give him too us for punishment.

So we have decided that Mimi and Memo who were partners before the curse should be the first two to be returned to normal and have the curse lifted."

Harry asked Mimi to come forward, she came and stood before him so he pointed his wand at her and said, _"Rhyddhau hwn ellyll wrth caethiwed." _

A golden light came from Harry's wand and covered Mimi.

Elfin had told them that the effect would be extremely noticeable and that was almost an understatement, Mimi had been about two and a half foot tall and her height almost doubled and she was beautiful.

She was an elf.

Green almond shaped eyes, long blond hair to her waist, very slender and the only thing to distinguish her from a human were slight points on the top of her normal sized ears, although her hair could easily cover these.

The emotion of the moment made her start crying so Ginny and Hermione started to comfort her then Mimi said to Hermione in a voice that sounded like tinkling bells, "Your hair is a disgrace after lunch I will sort it out."

The three of them started laughing and Ginny said, "Friends?"

So the three of them clasped hands and repeated, "Friends."

Harry was looking at the three of them with happy tears in his eyes, Mimi saw his tears and brought the other two over to him they cuddled him and they all said together, "Friends."

Mimi said to Harry, "No promises because I never ever managed to tame your father's hair, but I will try."

Harry beckoned Memo over and then he cast the same spell on him as he had on Mimi, when his height doubled and his features altered he could not be described as handsome, he would also have to be described as beautiful.

He was very much a male but the only real difference in his features and Mimi's was that his hair didn't quite reach his collar, however it was quite long enough to cover his pointy ears.

Mimi and Memo embraced for a long time and then he called the other three into a communal hug and he also said friends.

All of the house elves wanted to have a party to celebrate, so Harry said, "Only a small one with us here, although you can invite as many house elves as you think will come, we don't want to go public with this until some time after we have spoken with Minister Bones."

Having finished lunch the humans moved into the reading room and the two elves came with them.

"I believe that you two are a couple," Harry said to Memo and Mimi, "I do not know your customs but you may move to one of the larger rooms if you wish."

"For us the rooms we already have are very comfortable Harry, we do not normally cohabit unless we want to make baby elves," Memo said, "and your family never moved us into smaller accommodation when the Malfoy did his evil deed. Your family never ever paid the stipend and because they were so powerful nobody could force them to, the only other family to contest the issue were eventually impoverished by the Malfoys. However the other impoverished humans will have to receive their retribution in Malfoy Galleons the elves will have theirs in Malfoy blood."

Remus believed that he already knew the answer but he asked the question anyway, "Who were the other family Memo?"

Memo stood and went over to where Ginny was sitting, he knelt in front of her taking both of her hands in his and then looking into her eyes he said, "The Weasleys."

Ginny fainted.

When Ginny woke up a minute later she opened her eyes and said, "Why did I just faint?"

Everybody gasped and Harry said, "You are even more beautiful Ginny, look in the mirror."

Her eyes had become emerald green and with her red hair she looked fantastic, then obviously quite stunned she sat back down.

Mimi said, "Memo has declared you an elf friend Ginny Weasley, everyone with emerald green eyes is an elf friend and there is one other here who should also be declared an elf friend, even if it is only to get her hair tidy."

Everybody giggled but Hermione was crying tears of happiness as Mimi knelt in front of her and taking her hands she looked into Hermione's eyes. She only blinked for a second, her eyes became emeralds and her wayward hair changed to soft ringlets and there seemed to be slightly more gold in with the reddish brown. Mimi led her to the mirror and even Hermione herself who normally didn't care thought that she looked good.

Harry was astounded and said, "Beauty personified."

Hermione's smile was amazing and she asked, "How come Harry has emerald eyes already?"

Memo answered, "Harry's mother was declared an elf friend by Elfin at a very young age because of a prophecy from a centaur and Harry inherited that from her, but he should have had it from his father as well. However neither his father, his grandfather nor his great grandfather were initiated in accordance with the family tradition, so the elf friend eyes lapsed from that side of his family."

At this point Jemma came in and said, "Harry you have an owl."

He took the letter she handed him and after reading it he smiled and said to her, "What did you do Jemma?"

Jemma was trying to look anywhere except at Harry, "Well you said that we couldn't have a party until after you had spoken with Minister Bones and so I wrote to her and asked her if I could invite her two house elves to our party. Does she say that they can come?"

Smiling Harry said, "Jemma you're a scallywag."

She smiled and asked hopefully, "Is that good?"

Tonks grinned and said, "Yes it is and it's a lot better than what he usually calls me when I try to be clever."

"I want to talk to you outside a minute please Jemma." Harry said kindly and then he left the room with Jemma.

A couple of minutes later he came back in still smiling and he stuffed Amelia's letter into his pocket then said, "For your last comment Senior Auror Tonks I want you to _Apparate_ us just outside of Amelia's office in the Ministry."

"You can't…" started Remus.

Tonks interrupted him, "Don't bother telling these two, I tried that yesterday and you read this mornings papers."

Hermione joined Harry and Tonks and they asked Ginny to come as well then as soon as they linked up they disappeared without a sound.

"I heard Harry say that what they do isn't exactly Apparating," Jane said trying to be helpful and then she went back to reading her books about the wizard world.

x-x

The four of them arrived in the corridor outside of Amelia's M.L.E. office, the door was open but the office was empty.

Ginny said, "She could be in the Ministers office."

Tonks nodded and they were stood outside of the Ministers office, this door was also open but besides the Minister, Arthur and Kingsley were in the office with her.

Mme Bones said, "Hello you four, Harry what was that letter about?"

Before Harry could answer Arthur said, "Ginny what's happened to your eyes? And yours Hermione?"

In a hushed whisper Amelia asked, "Elf friends? How?"

Harry answered, "The answer to the first of those two questions Amelia is yes and for the answer to the second you had better come to whatever Jemma is arranging for this evening, what time is it supposed to be?"

"The Party with Food is at seven and May I bring Susan and Daphne?" asked Amelia.

"Of course you can," Hermione answered, "and you had better come as well Mr Weasley with Mrs Weasley."

"May I have a piece of parchment please Minister and do you have a wife Kingsley?" Harry asked.

Kingsley told him that he didn't have a wife and Amelia gave him a piece of parchment then after he had thanked her for it he proceeded to tear into three laying the pieces on the table and then he said, "These are not regular Portkeys, if you and anyone coming with you hold them at about seven this evening then you think 'the Potters Place' they will bring you to the 'Party with Food'. You and Hermione's parents oh Remus Lupin as well will be the only non elfish folk there, warn the others that as much as anything it will be informal and also partly educational. Is there anything else we can do for you?"

Arthur had been talking with Ginny and Tonks but he was listening with half an ear so he asked, "Can you drop by the Burrow and warn Molly that we will be eating out this evening please."

After being told that there was nothing else they were required for and then agreeing to Arthur's request they silently disappeared.

x-x

Ginny Hermione and Harry were once more in the reading room talking to the two elves and Hermione's parents when Tonks came back down from her room, she asked, "What's with all of the new clothes in my wardrobe, Harry."

Harry did his best to look innocent and he said, "What are you accusing me of? I have been with you all morning how can I have done anything?"

Hermione had been watching his expression and she said, "Jemma would you mind coming here for a minute please."

Jemma arrived and before Hermione could say anything Harry said, "Jemma, please tell everyone what I asked you to do before we went out."

She stood up straight and said, "Harry said that he didn't think that any of you had anything here suitable for any kind of function, then he asked me if it would be possible for me to get some things for you all. I told him of course we could and so we did."

Mimi was blushing and she added, "I chose most of the clothes, so if you don't like them you must blame me, so you all had better go and have a look at what Harry has bought you."

Everybody started heading for the door but Harry held Tonks back and asked quietly, "How much is there? And more important can I afford it, at the moment I only have my Hogwarts account?"

Tonks smiled at him, "Don't worry. My wardrobe is almost half full and so will everybody else's be, but the elves here can use the Potter Trust money and that won't run out anytime soon."

A look of profound relief flooded Harry's face along with a huge smile and he said, "Thank goodness, I don't begrudge anybody anything but the t…"

Harry couldn't continue because Tonks was kissing him, properly, when she stopped she said, "That was for the clothes, it was for you getting rid of all of the Death Eaters from the Ministry and for being one of the nicest people I have ever met. If I were fifteen years younger I would be in there chasing with all the rest of the HPFC. Come on we had better get upstairs to all of the others, there will probably be pandemonium."

As they were going upstairs Harry asked, "What's the HPFC?"

"The Harry Potter Fan Club." She said with a cheeky smile.

At the top of the stairs they were all waiting in ambush, Ginny was the first, "What's with all of the clothes?"

By now Harry was half ready for this, "I haven't seen the clothes so I can't comment. Mimi, how much did you spend today in total approximately?"

Mimi smiled and answered, "Just under five thousand Galleons Harry."

Then he said, "Thank you Mimi. Tonks, how much did the trust earn today, approximately?"

She answered, "Roughly fifty five thousand Galleons Harry."

Smiling he said, "In the unlikely event you don't like the clothes you should be talking to Mimi. I refuse to discuss anything that cost me, in total less than ten percent of my daily income, those two things aside is there anything else I can do for you?"

Apart from Ginny and Hermione the others sheepishly thanked him and went away but Mimi stayed with them, however Hermione said, "Do you really think that you will get away with it that easily?"

He gave them 'the smile' and said, "I rather hoped that I might, how bad is it? Lets look in my wardrobe."

It did not take them long to get to Harry's wardrobe, which he found to be about half full and indicating sections Mimi said, "These are for formal functions, these are for daily wear, these are for evening wear and these are for parties; those are Muggle clothes and you know more than I do about when to wear those."

The girls and Harry were looking through the clothes and both of the girls were saying how much they liked some of them, Mimi said, "We should go to Ginny's room next."

So they all set off for Ginny's room and were all soon in her wardrobe that was also half full, Mimi's description was much the same except Ginny had different robes for mornings and afternoons.

Again they had all been looking through them saying how much they liked them and Harry said with a wink at Hermione and Mimi, "You can take all of these home with you if you want to Ginny."

She looked at him with a sickly sweet smile and said, "If first you can persuade the twins to move in with Ron and then convince my mum that I should have Percy's old room as well, then I could use them both as wardrobes but it might still be a bit of a squeeze." However she now had a big grin on her face and continued, "I will just have to rent this room off of you, what will you charge me?"

Harry smiled at her and said, "Your friendship will do fine and thank you Ginny."

The three of them were intended to see the big wink that Ginny gave Hermione as she answered dramatically, "Oh! Woe is me. I wanted to give you my body but all you will take is my friendship, however will I survive the honour." She gave Harry a light kiss on the lips and said very sincerely, "Thank you Harry."

Only Mimi noticed the look of undying love that came into Ginny's eyes when she had kissed Harry.

Hermione's wardrobe was three-quarter full and she gave Mimi a look, but quite undaunted Mimi said, "You are to become the wife of one of the most important wizards in the world therefore certain standards have to be met and maintained. Luckily wizard world fashions do not really change a great deal, so you need clothes for lunches, dinners and everything else you might be invited to. I will keep records and you will never wear the same clothes to formally meet the same people twice, if you want to impress important old families you must do it by their rules and still win."

When they had gone through too Hermione's wardrobe they had left her bedroom door open and they heard her mother call so Hermione called back, "We are through here mum come in."

Jane walked into Hermione's wardrobe and stopped, she was looking astounded, Hermione said, "Don't mention it mum, I have just had it explained to me why I need a dozen dresses for every conceivable occasion and I am not up to discussing it at the moment."

Harry said quietly, "We volunteered for the jobs we have promised to do and if the worst thing you ever have to complain about is having too many clothes then we will be very lucky, so cheer up, you are going to free all of the house elves very soon."

She put her arms around Harry and received a cuddle then she said, "I'm sorry darling, I am getting upset over nothing. So how are you and dad coping mum?"

Jane pulled herself together a bit and said, "We are actually coping quite well and it was Harry I was looking for to thank him properly for the lovely clothes he has given us."

Before anybody could say anything in reply she had kissed Harry on the cheek and gone off out of the door still looking slightly incredulous.

Mimi said, "Harry is quite correct, now let me open your eyes and show you this."

She waved her right hand in front of their faces and a suit of the kind being warn by Mimi appeared on the rack, it was a tunic top with tight trousers and shoes to match, like Mimi's they appeared to be all colours and none at the same time and she said, "Now that your eyes have been opened there are many new things you will be able to see, you will find one suit each in your wardrobes. They are very comfortable and highly magical, especially when you need to move quietly or when you don't wish to be seen."

The material of the suit felt like Harry's invisibility cloak that was very soft however the elven suit was much, much softer.

Ginny was the first to notice the glow and she said, "Mimi I can see a glow from you three and the suit, what is it?"

Mimi smiled and said, "You can see the elven magic because your eyes have been opened a little."

Hermione and Harry agreed that they could see it as well and then he said, "Do you mind if I leave you for a little while as I should go and reset some of the wards for the house?"

"And I want to go and try on some of my new clothes," Ginny said with a big smile, "I have never had to decide what I was going to wear before. Thank you Harry for making me so happy." She gave him a quick hug and almost skipped out of the door and off towards her room.

The three of them were laughing at Ginny who had never had anything much before in her life, until a week ago the same could have been said about Harry, Mimi said, "You go on to your household chores Harry even Hermione needs time to decide what to wear."

After Harry had given Hermione a kiss and gone to reset the wards Mimi said that she needed to talk to her about Ginny, so they shut her bedroom door and put a silencing charm on it then they settled themselves in the armchairs.

Mimi said, "Ginny is in love with Harry," she put her hand up to stop Hermione interrupting, "she is denying it even to herself but when she gave Harry that little peck as a thank you for the clothes I could see it as plain as day. I know from watching the pair of you that you both think the world of her and you both want her around for a long time, for the greater projects you have to do for her we call Gaia and you call Elfin. She asked me to give you this and it will not open until tomorrow," she had passed Hermione a book, "read it and think about it you can always come to me to talk about it, I am about seven hundred and eighty years old. Not quite as young as I look, am I?

"Gaia thinks," Mimi continued, "that if you can find a suitable long term panacea to Ginny's emotional problems she could visit the library and help you for many years, she also said that if a solution is found she will, if you wish, talk to Ginny with us."

It was quiet for about five minutes and then Hermione asked, "What is the book called?"

With a impish smile Mimi answered, "It is called, 'Sex for Three' and it is advisable for you to read it just before going to bed with Harry, the way it will probably make you feel, well lets say that he will have a good time."

Hermione blushed and said, "I see." Then she grinned.

There was a knock on the door, Hermione opened it with a wave of her hand and Ginny came bounding in saying, "Have you looked in your drawers? I've got more underwear than I have ever seen outside a shop? And what's this thing?" She held up a G-string.

Mimi said smiling, "They are mini knickers."

"I tried that," said Ginny, "but I had all this hair sticking out the sides and it looked so awful that I thought I had put them on the wrong place, although I couldn't figure out anywhere else to put them."

The pair just laughed at Ginny's high spirits and Mimi said, "Then it must be trimmed off, I am sure that Hermione will help you to do it, now I should go and help the others with their hair. I will come back later to do both of yours."

After Mimi had left Ginny said, "Why don't I just charm the lot away?"

"Not all boys like girls to be bald down there," Hermione answered, "Harry doesn't mind it trimmed off, as he says, he can see the sense in why girls do that. But he thinks that girls who remove it all are probably not very nice and sleep around and he seems to think that most British boys think like that."

"You talked to Harry about this?" Ginny looked both shocked and impressed.

She smiled, "Of course I did, once you remove it magically it is gone forever and from what he said it was just as well that I did talk to him, I would just of taken the whole lot off."

"So how do we do this?" Ginny asked.

Hermione put an extra locking spell on the door and said, "When I did mine I had no clothes on, but first I combed the hair tidy, then I put the G-string on and trimmed off what was sticking out, it would have been much easier if I had had someone to help me."

Taking off her robe and her knickers Ginny revealed a wayward mess of bright red hair, Hermione could easily see that Ginny's body had nearly completed its transition from girl to woman. Then she borrowed a comb off Hermione and proceeded to comb the unruly hair straight down, when it was about as tidy as it was going to get she put the G-string on and Hermione made her lay on the bed with her legs slightly apart. Hermione knelt up on the bed beside her then using her finger as a wand she removed the offending hair.

Getting off the bed Ginny paraded herself in front of the mirror, then she took off her G-string and smiling had another good look at herself and then she said, "Do you always wear G-strings Hermione?"

Without thinking Hermione answered, "Yes, ever since Harry said that he liked me in them."

"I must hear all about this, since when did Harry see you in a G-string?" Ginny said with flashing eyes.

Hermione adopted a very prim expression, "We have to get ready for the party and they have swimsuits like that you know. Anyway we can talk about it some other time."

Ginny put her robe back on and Hermione unlocked the door, then the fiery red head skipped back to her room twirling her now redundant knickers on one finger over her head.

**Authors Notes**. If you like it then **PLEASE REVIEW** it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six. 

**Authors Note.** This chapter, for what it's worth, will complete Saturday; at this rate 'War and Peace' will have nothing on the length of this story.

**Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.**

**Chapter 9. Saturday Evening. **

There was a bump and Ginny was sitting on the floor with her knickers on her head, when she opened her eyes she was looking into Harry's sparkling emerald pools, she had obviously bumped into him because he was also sat on the floor.

With a wicked smile he said, "Hello Ginny, why have you got your knickers on your head?"

Ginny had embarrassment cubed and she stuttered, "I was with Hermione and she…Oh shit!" Ginny leapt up pulled her knickers off her head and sprinted to her room slamming the door behind herself. Then she started laughing, uncontrollably.

Harry shook his head and went into his room to get himself ready, he would ask Hermione what she and Ginny had been doing to have the firebrand wearing knickers for a hat.

Hermione had just decided which T-shirt to wear with her jeans when Mimi arrived and informed her that she would be wearing one of her new party robes and before Hermione could even start to object added that it wasn't open to negotiation. Mimi quickly sorted through Hermione's party robes taking out three for her to choose from and when she looked at them she realised that they were all very smart but casual. She quickly picked one that was pale tangerine, when she put it on and Mimi had done her hair she matched the house, 'casual understated elegance', but she was still a bit peeved.

At ten to seven there was a knock on Hermione's door and she called, "Come in."

Harry opened the door and just stood there with his mouth open, "What's the matter?" Hermione said.

His gob smacked expression was replaced by a smile and he whispered, "You are so very beautiful and I love you so much that I was speechless for a minute, every bit the lady of the house."

All traces of her snit vanished in an instant and she gave him a wonderful smile, Mimi was right of course she had chosen her position in the wizard world and she had to live with it. She wanted Harry and what went with Harry was all of this, it wasn't his fault and she had to learn to live with it, at worst she would learn to ignore it. When she was little she used to dream of being the Lady in a big house, well now she was, her dream was coming true all she had to do was learn to live with it.

What she said was, "I love you too darling and you're not looking too bad yourself. Do you think that we should go down now? Where will they arrive?"

Still smiling he answered, "They should arrive in the same entrance hall we first arrived in, so let's make our way towards there, shall we?"

As they were going down the main staircase he asked, "I literally bumped into Ginny as I was going back to my room to change, we both finished up sitting on the floor, she said that she had been with you but why did she have a pair of knickers on her head?"

Hermione burst out laughing and told him, "The last I saw of her she had just left my room and was skipping across the hall, twirling them above her head on her finger, they must of landed on her head when she bumped into you."

Looking nervous Harry said, "Should I even ask why Ginny was leaving your room twirling her knickers over her head?"

"I think that I had better tell you," Hermione told him with a sheepish smile, "the truth is a lot less exciting than anything your male mind might dream up. Mimi bought all of the girls' mini knickers and when Ginny put hers on she had a lot of hair sticking out the sides, so she asked what she should do about it, so I trimmed it off for her. She was going to magically remove all of it but I told her what you had said to me about that and she decided to do the same as me and trim it back, so I trimmed it back for her, see it's not very exciting at all really."

Harry burst out laughing, "That's why her face lit up like a brake light when I asked her why she had her knickers on her head then she started to tell me, swore and charged off."

As Hermione said, "Poor girl, she must be terribly embarrassed."

There were twenty-three pops and that many bedraggled house elves appeared, Jemma was there and spoke first to the visitors, "We are very glad that you have come." Then turning, "Hermione, Harry, these are elves who have, over the years escaped and gone into hiding in the wild, what may I do with them?"

Hermione went immediately into mother mode, "One of you take them upstairs, to help them change their clothes so that they are ready for the party and later we will all talk to them about what they would like to do."

When they had gone upstairs with Jiffs, Jemma said, "Normally they would have fled if a human had said something like that but they have heard of Hermione and they can see that you are both elf friends, so they know that you will not endanger them. There are more than another fifty of them who did not come at first but they will all be upstairs within a few minutes and they will all trust your judgement and do what you suggest."

Their conversation finished at this point because the Weasleys arrived, Ron and Luna had come with Molly and Arthur, immediately Luna said, "I want eyes like yours Hermione."

But Molly interrupted whatever was going to be said, by saying, "Where's Ginny, I would have thought that she'd be here to meet us?"

Hermione answered, "I think that we should go and get her Mrs Weasley, she did a pretty good job of embarrassing herself earlier on, would you like to come as well Luna?"

As the three of them disappeared up the main staircase talking rapidly Matt, Jane, Tonks and Remus arrived from the direction of the library so Arthur and Ron were introduced to Hermione's parents, also Kingsley had just arrived and was introduced as well.

At the same time as Hermione had been going back up the stairs house elves started to arrive in droves and they had been moving into the large party room which was on the right as you came from the library. Harry was worried about how his elves would cope with the hundreds of guests but he needn't of worried, being house elves they were all extremely helpful, even to each other.

Ginny was coming down stairs with the trio who had gone up to find her when Amelia arrived with Daphne and Susan, Ron was ogling Daphne but she didn't see him, she was too busy smiling at Harry.

For his part Harry had simply said 'hi' to the two girls and was now talking quietly to Amelia whilst Luna gave Ron a swipe on his shoulder and said, "Stop staring Carrot. If you don't shut your mouth the ferrets will start making nests in it."

Sheepishly Ron said, "But she's…"

Luna interrupted him, "Yes she is gorgeous, but your girlfriend doesn't need you to tell her that, anyway look at whom she is salivating over."

True enough thought Ron, she hasn't taken her eyes off Harry and she didn't look like she was going to do so any time soon, he said to Luna, "What do you think Hermione will do about it?"

She answered quietly, "Look at Hermione, she is just talking to Susan and she has absolute confidence in him, Daphne had better be careful or she will find herself in the same boat as quite a few others."

Ron, not being the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, asked innocently, "What boat's that love?"

Ginny had been listening and said, "It's called the good ship, 'I'm in love with Harry Potter and he only loves Hermione, boat,' oh brother of mine."

Ron was looking bemused and said, "I don't see how that is such a good ship to be on, him being in love with someone else and all that."

"Come on Ronald," Luna said sounding like she didn't want to get drawn into any more long tedious explanations, "let's go to find some Butterbeer and we can talk about Quidditch."

Luna and Ron went off so Ginny went over to Daphne and said, "Hi Daphne, I have been doing that for the last five years, it doesn't help very much. I have found that the best thing to do is to be his friend then at least you can be close by him all of the time and I have heard a rumour that those of us close to him in the not too distant future may be in for a treat."

Daphne looked at Ginny nervously and said, "Hi, you're Ginny aren't you, but you look a bit different, is it the eyes? I don't remember ever speaking to you before what with you being a year down and in a different house." Then she said even more nervously, "How will they be about that, me being in Slytherin and all?"

Ginny giggled and answered, "Well I think that I counted five questions in there so yes I am Ginny and it is the eyes, they have been changed to green on account of me being made an elf friend and I can never remember ever speaking to you before either. Don't worry about the Slytherin thing, they will judge you on who, what and how you are as a person, just be yourself because both Hermione and Harry are very astute, be honest because you won't fool them. Let's go and find some Butterbeer there must be some around here somewhere."

The pair arrived in the party room, which by this time was almost full of house elves, this was quite an achievement, the room was seventy-five feet by fifty, Daphne said to Ginny forlornly, "How are we going to find a Butterbeer in here?"

"Watch," Ginny said as she crouched down and pulled Daphne down with her then she spoke to one of the elves, "Hello what's your name?"

The elf was very excited, "Me is Mosty, Missy elf friend Ginny what can I do for you?"

"Hello Mosty," Ginny said with a smile, "can you show us where we can find some Butterbeer please?"

There was a little pushing and shoving and then four bottles of Butterbeer appeared from different directions, the girls were careful to thank the elves that gave them the drink and they also thanked Mosty for her help.

As they stood up Harry and all of the others came in, so the girls joined them as they made their way up onto the small stage, which was at one end of the room. The main purpose of the party was to speak to a lot of the house elves so Harry and Jemma went to the front of the stage and the room went quiet.

First Harry said, "Good evening our friends, Jemma and I have some things to tell you and she will explain them to you much better than I can, so will you please listen to her, what she has to say is very important to you all."

Whilst Jemma was telling the whole story Harry went and sat on one of the chairs that Hermione had conjured for them, all of the visitors were listening intently, they had not heard the story before and they were shocked.

The elves however were talking amongst themselves and Harry stood up as one of their number asked, "How do we know that you can do as you say?"

Harry beckoned to two of the party who had come onto the stage with him, so the pair stood up and removed their light tan cloaks the hoods of which had been hiding their faces, revealed they were Memo and Mimi.

There was pandemonium.

It wasn't only the elves who were all talking at once but when Amelia stood all of the elves knew who she was and they became silent and she said, "I see two elves who the house elves obviously know but how do I know that these were ever house elves."

Looking at her face Harry could see that she wanted the proof as much for the house elves as for her self, so he said loudly, "Jemma, who were your leaders before the accursed one cast his enchantment? Are they here and who do they work for?"

With a smile Jemma answered, "They were called Moro and Mina of course they are here because they work for you at Godric's Hollow, you have never been there so you have never met them."

Two elves were making their way up onto the stage and Harry said, "With their permission I will change them back to their rightful selves."

A short conversation ensued between the concerned parties, then Harry cast the spell first on Moro and then on Mina, stood before them they beheld an elven lord and lady in all of their glory.

There was a gasp around the hall and the house elves became extremely excited.

Amelia announced, "I will call a meeting within two weeks where we will arrange for all of the elves to be set free."

Harry added, "If nothing has been decided to move the date forward then all of the elves will be freed three weeks from today."

Next Moro came to the fore and asked, "Harry elf friend, I request that the elves who had been living in the wild be allowed to live at Godric's hollow."

Smiling Hermione said mainly to Harry, "There is no reason that they should not be elves again now and make a home at Godric's Hollow, obviously there is room otherwise Moro wouldn't have suggested it."

The leader of the free elves came forward and he said, "There are seventy nine of us and we are honoured that you would treat us so, but I believe that the majority of us should remain as we are. You require four more elves for this house and two temporally for Godric's Hollow, so you should change another ten as an Honour Guard if they are needed. We will still be sixty five to do what needs to be done to make a home for the elves in Godric's Hollow."

Although it was not particularly late the visiting house elves were first thanking all on the stage and then leaving, Jemma assured them that it was to spread the word of what had transpired. Soon Moro, Mina and Hermione were sat on the edge of the stage, they were helping Jemma decide which of the elves would be doing what, Hermione had first asked for volunteers, but that didn't help because all of the elves had volunteered. Eventually one male and one female were chosen for Godric's hollow and then one male with three females were picked for the Potters Place.

Faro who was the leader of the free elves helped Moro and Mina choose the ten elves for the Honour Guard, to all of the humans surprise eight were female and only two were male.

Mina smiled and said, "Never underestimate Elven females, or their elf friend counterparts," and with the last she cuddled Ginny and Hermione who were both smiling as well.

When the ten were converted Molly with a big smile said, "I have a small complaint, all of these elven women are much too beautiful, I don't want people comparing me to them, I will keep loosing."

Moro went over to Molly and Arthur, he took their hands and said, "You heard the story of why the Malfoys took all of your families money, for this I declare you both to be elf friends," Molly and Arthur had to sit down but he continued, "your money will be returned to you the Malfoy blood is ours, Draco we will take when Hermione and Ginny have finished with him, but we know not of Mephisto."

Hermione conjured a mirror in front of Molly and when she saw her reflection she was somewhat placated, in addition to her green eyes she also appeared to have lost a fair few pounds.

Amelia was looking at the elven warriors who were laughing and giggling with her two charges, Ginny and Hermione and she said to Harry, "I hope that this isn't a private army?"

He laughed, "You have seen Hermione and I in action Minister, we are our own private army. But I do believe that it is a sign that the elves are prepared to defend what they perceive as theirs and probably their freedom as well, we are prepared to help them with the latter if they should need it."

The minister thought for a second, smiled and said, "Fair enough Harry, I can't honestly say that I blame them."

Moro came and said to Harry, "We have a slight problem Harry, now that we are elves we can not re-enter Godric's Hollow without your permission."

Harry said, "Don't worry I will take you, if you all link up then you do what you would normally do to get there, I will carry you."

Moro called all those who were to go to Godric's Hollow together and with Harry holding Mina's hand they all disappeared from the Potters Place, thirty seconds later he was back and said, "I had to escape quickly those elven women are nearly as bad as human ones."

He was immediately cornered by eight of the human variety females and with an evil smile Tonks said, "You had better have a very good explanation of what you just said or we might just be forced to snog you too death."

"Well," he said, "I think that you said it all Tonks, is the universal panacea kiss Harry?"

"Yes," they all said at once and they moved in and started kissing him.

He vanished from their midst and reappeared with Hermione about five yards away and she said, "Do you think that you can get away from me that easily, Potter?"

Harry gave her 'the smile', "I had no wish to get away from you, Darling."

So she did the only thing that she could think of, she kissed him.

Jane said to Amelia, "I thought that I brought my daughter up better than to do things like that in public."

"I can't honestly say that I blame her though," Tonks said dreamily.

Amelia smiled, "Very perceptive Tonks, given the circumstances."

When the couple finished Harry turned to them and said, "Who is staying and who is going home?"

The only ones to go home were Amelia and her charges, because she was Minister she had to be virtually always available and that wasn't the case whilst she was at the Potters Place, needless to say Susan and Daphne were not amused.

As they were leaving Susan was heard to say to Daphne, "Why doesn't she just give the stupid job up," they all hoped that Amelia hadn't heard her.

It did not take very long to find rooms for their additional visitors even though Molly insisted that Ron and Luna were kept as far away from each other as possible. But Hermione had spoken to Jemma and Harry was fairly certain that Luna would have a similar portal in her mirror as Hermione had in hers, it would be up to Luna what use, if any, she made of it.

As Harry came out from cleaning his teeth he met his love coming out of his dressing room, they were both quite tired but they spent a very comfortable relaxed night first talking and then sleeping in each other's arms.

x-x

Sunday morning Harry and his love were awakened by Mimi who had come to do Hermione's hair, but first she assured the couple that neither Memo nor herself wanted to leave the house, they would remain as friends. Mimi asked if she could become Hermione's Ladies Maid, which Hermione readily agreed to. She also told them that Memo wanted to learn a lot more about Muggle electricity and electronics, he also wondered if he could spend some time with them especially when they were going to Muggle shops this was also agreed to.

Harry and his love were very happy about this, but because it was seven thirty Hermione went back to her own room to get herself ready for the day.

Consequently they arrived at breakfast within three minutes of each other, Tonks and Remus were already there and all of the others arrived within five minutes of each other, the only one complaining was Ron.

He had been told by one of the new house elves that if he wanted to sleep his life away he was at liberty to spend the whole day in bed if he so desired, but if he wanted to eat he had better get up. A little later he realised that this was exactly what his mother had instructed Luna to say to him in the mornings, he was therefore fairly certain that the house elf in question was simply following orders, who's was fairly irrelevant. Anyway breakfast was excellent and that would have made up for a whole lot more than just getting up a little earlier than he would have liked.

When the meal was finishing Harry told them that Hermione and himself would be going to Godric's Hollow for a short while then he said, "There is a games room, the library, the reading room, but he hadn't looked in the garden where amongst other things there was supposed to be a swimming pool and a Quidditch pitch. I hope that you will all find something to amuse yourselves until we get back."

Ron had just been contemplating a fourth helping of breakfast but at the mention of a Quidditch pitch his concentration on food had been broken and he suggested to Luna that perhaps they should have a look around the garden.

Hermione and Harry arrived outside a fairly small cottage that was covered with climbing roses, it had a small-enclosed entrance porch. Upon entering they found that it had two small windows and several hooks to hang topcoats, the only other furnishing was a seat along one side with a boot rack under it.

Going inside they started looking around, Mina had not been lying when she had told Hermione yesterday evening that they wouldn't need to be shown around the inside. There were two reasonable sized bedrooms with built in wardrobes they had a toilet- shower room between them, the only other rooms were a bathroom and the living room.

Everything was spotless including the fairly large country kitchen where they found Mina she took them outside to find all of the other elves.

Moro was waiting for them after they had gone through another porch and out of the back door, he led them to the right and they walked slowly around the cottage admiring both it and the scenery. It did not take them long to realise that Godric's Hollow was in fact a small steep sided oval dingle with ancient broadleaf trees covering the steep sides of the valley.

When they had nearly completed their circuit Moro led them over to a stable with its doors open, inside were several grey Welsh Mountain Ponies and the two house elves who had been assigned the task of looking after the cottage. Having greeted the two elves the trio followed the sound of sawing and banging that was coming from somewhere inside the woods and they soon came to a small, fairly level clearing in which a lot of house elves were working, franticly.

As Faro came towards them Hermione thought, _'Why do house elves always appear to work franticly?' _but the arrival of Faro interrupted her pondering by him saying, "Welcome to you both, it would be very difficult to offer you anything much in the way of hospitality at the moment, however if you come again in a week we will be a in much better state of organisation."

A short time later the couple were back in the entrance hall of the Potters Place from where they went to find the others.

Half way across the inner hall they were greeted by an extremely happy, much younger looking Molly, she told them that most of the others were in the reading room. However Ron had found some brooms and he had dragged Luna outside supposedly to explore the garden, but they all knew he had gone looking for the Quidditch pitch.

It was not unusual for Hermione's brain to be working overtime and it had been ever since her conversation with Harry in bed last night, they might have been too tired to make love but they were not to tired to talk.

Hermione had been hedging around the question of him impregnating some other witches as sort of secondary wives, even she didn't like the sound of that, just to produce some of the little Potters Elfin and some of the others seemed to want. It wasn't any surprise to her, but really he didn't want to know about it, he had told her that he definitely did not want her to go with other boys and so he would not go with other witches, it was only fair.

In one way she was absolutely delighted, it was just what she had always dreamed of when she was a little girl, but it wasn't what the powers that be thought was best for the world. I am going to live for a long time so I wonder how long I will be able to have babies for? Surely the world doesn't need ten new Potters in the next five years, maybe I should talk to Elfin about everything and if necessary she will have to talk to Harry about it all. Whatever she didn't want Harry to make any other girl pregnant until she was at least four months gone and she knew that he would support her totally, she wanted his first child.

What Hermione didn't know was that Harry had spent all of the morning so far considering the self same problem that was concerning her. He was absolutely certain that she loved only him and she loved him as much as he loved her, which made her even considering the matter in his eyes, very serious. Well they could say what they liked he was not making any other witch pregnant until she had given birth to a healthy baby, his baby. As soon as he could he would have a talk with Elfin.

**Authors Note**. If you like it and you want some more **PLEASE REVIEW. **

**Important: **

I am having great difficulty keeping up with writing the nine thousand words it takes to keep up with the two stories I am currently writing. The best thing I can think of is to give myself five days to write each chapter which means that each story will be updated every ten days instead of seven. But as I have said before your reviews make the writing easier, so I thank you all for your comments to me, however short.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six. 

**Authors Note. **I must apologise that in places this chapter is a bit angsty, not a lot just a bit.

**Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.**

**Chapter 10. Sunday. **

Hermione said excuse me but I must go up to my room a minute and she made her way up the stairs, so Harry went to the Hideaway.

He went straight to the picture of Babilon and said, "Elfin."

The elf mother came into the picture frame and said, "Hello Harry, Hermione has just arrived in your room here and I believe that she wants to talk about the same subject as you do. So you go up to her room and I will send her back there then you should both come here together and don't worry, I believe that you both think the same thing."

So Harry said that he would see her in a minute then he left the Hideaway and made his way up the back stairs to Hermione's room.

He tapped on the door and she said, "Come in Potter."

For a second he had been worried but she put her arms around him and kissed him, then taking hold of his pendant she simply said, "Library."

Elfin was waiting for them and she said, "Now tell me the problem?"

Hermione went straight to the hart of the problem, "Why do all of the elders appear to want Harry to have loads of children very quickly?"

He was nodding his head in agreement with the question and Elfin answered, "The Potter line is extremely important to the World as well as the Wizard World and currently the only one is you Harry. This is a very precarious situation, all it would take is one unforeseen accident and there will be no more Potters so you can see that this is a very worrying situation for all of us who see the big picture. Before you ask you have to live through it blind, we must not explain it to you because that might influence the decisions you make, however I will give you one piece of information that will point to the start of the problem. Those who made the Mayan calendar are those who believed and fled Atlantis, that is it and the conquistadors have a lot to answer for in the wonton slaughter they inflicted on the population of South America."

Looking thoughtful Hermione said, "If I remember correctly the Mayan calendar stops on the twenty-first of December 2013 that is only about seventeen and a half years time, the end of the world?" She looked horrified.

"Not the end of the world," Elfin said hurriedly, "the end of civilization as we know it, there is a lot of difference, you having made the connection I must now stop you worrying as much as I am allowed.

There is a mini planet, about the size of your moon, in a highly eccentric orbit, it takes a little less than three thousand years to complete one rotation around the sun and it is due to round the sun again in about another seventeen years. After that the Atlanteans calculated it would once more make a close pass by the Earth, that they believed will be another dreadful time of complete upheaval on the Earth and you have volunteered to help save civilization.

For your information Atlantis was destroyed about eleven thousand years ago, ergo all of the great flood legends.

As was hinted at before it will be for you to decide who is to be saved, always with the thought that true knowledge should be preserved wherever possible. Amoon has authorised me to take care of the elves, the half elves and the elf friends as you know the vast majority of these will be elves and they generally have no knowledge of Muggle science.

It will not be possible to save everyone."

The couple sat in silence for about five minutes then Hermione said, "So speed is of the essence how many little Potters do you think we need and how quickly?"

Elfin answered, "We would like at least fifteen or twenty within two or three years."

Harry snorted, "Where will you find a great long queue of prospective mothers and I will not start until it is established that Hermione is in a stable pregnancy, also we need to be married first?"

For the first time since they had known her Elfin giggled, "You underestimate yourself Harry, Hermione is an obvious first choice but so are Ginny, Daphne and Susan, also both of the Patil twins think the world of you. Yesterday you gave elfdom back to ten female house elves, discounting Mina you still have ten because I would willingly mother one of your children." Elfin was now blushing as well, "You are a most remarkable man Harry James Potter, in all of the millennia I have lived I have never previously offered myself to anyone."

The couple were dumfounded and it was several minutes before anyone spoke and once again it was Elfin who having recovered her composure said, "I should tell you that there is ulterior motive in the six girls we have selected, they would all be brought here, firstly to complete their magical education and afterwards to learn all of the Muggle science. There is just too much for the two of you to learn it all and if you use some of the life you have gained they can all be with you for many years to come.

I believe that you should bring Hermione's parents to your Hideaway for us to talk of your wedding. I also know that Amoon wishes me to make them elf friend's, which would only be if they wish it, because this would make them magical, so this step should be considered very carefully, it would change their lives completely. So you do not get your hopes up I will also tell you straight away that they will gain the wizard's one hundred and fifty year lifespan but as far as we know you will not be able to extend it any further

I will leave you here now to think over all of this and I hope to see you both in the Hideaway, soon."

After Elfin left the couple sat very closely together on the sofa, Hermione was resting her head on his shoulder and sadly she said, "I love you so much Harry. Why couldn't we live in normal times? Why do I have to share you?"

Very dejectedly Harry answered, "I wish that I knew what normal was. I just want you I don't want all of these other girls. But what about Elfin?"

At the thought of Elfin Hermione gave a little giggle, "She fancies you! And stop grinning you egotistical git, your mine and I want to run off with you and hide away until the end of time."

It started with the kissing, then it was on the bed, this was followed by them falling asleep, waking, taking a shower and then they returned to the world, very hungry, very very hungry.

"Race you to the kitchen!" Hermione said charging out of her bedroom.

Harry closed his eyes and willed himself to the kitchen, when Hermione was four stairs from the bottom she stopped and in amazement said, "How did you get here so quickly?"

In the blink of an eye he was stood beside her, then he kissed her, as he broke the kiss they were stood beside Suria and he was begging food totally ignoring her pleas to know how he did it.

With the sight and smell of another two, this time they were large, Cornish Pasties Hermione's pleading stopped until she had devoured half of her pasty and then she asked again so he explained what he had done.

Not surprisingly Hermione needed under a minute to learn to transport herself as Harry had done and she was extremely pleased with herself, so they went to find her parents and they soon found them alone in the reading room.

After the couple had taken them to the Hideaway, Harry and Hermione briefly explained the situation to her parents so then it was time to call Elfin and before she had finished Suria had called them for lunch. Strict instructions had been issued for them to return as soon as lunch was finished but neither Hermione nor Harry thought that they were necessary Matt and Jane were extremely eager to return.

Two hours later the discussions were almost concluded and they were talking about the wedding when Jane said, "What about Artificial Insemination?"

The look of relief on the faces of the youngsters was a joy to behold and for a few minutes Elfin was quiet and then she said, "We would have to find different mothers and elves do not use such methods. Ever. Also it would not produce the close bond that would be achieved by Harry making love with the six chosen girls and…"

Harry interrupted her, "I don't give a toss about producing a close bond with a bunch of girls, I am only interested in having a close bond with Hermione. However many children she wants is how many we will have and I will know if you tamper with her mind, I can tell you her reaction to any given set of circumstances." Then he turned his back on Elfin and said to his love, "I am going flying if I can find a broom, I will see you later and you can keep talking about your parents if you want to." He gave her a kiss and left the room.

It was quiet for five minutes and then Elfin said, "It is about fifteen thousand of your years since I was last put in my place like that, but that time I was right and she was wrong so she was punished. This time he is right and I am wrong, so I am terribly sorry, but please try to not let him turn his back on us completely."

Hermione had a sad smile, "His whole life just isn't fair, his parents murdered when he was a baby, those terrible relations who abused him for ten of the first eleven years of his life and he has faced Voldemort four times in the last five years. Now he has found love and you give him the tools to defeat Voldemort so he gets told that the big 'V' has a mentor, Mephisto Malfoy, we both assume that he won't be too much trouble for us or you would of said something."

Elfin nodded at this, so Hermione continued, "Where do we go next, oh yes, apparently the Earth's true nemesis is a rogue planet so in your spare time Harry, can you save the World from it and in case you get hurt can you screw these dozen females as a safety precaution.

My Harry had no love for fifteen years of his life, now he has mine and I will protect him with everything I am for as long as I can because he loves me as well. He told you that he knows me, he knows me better than I know myself, I told him that he should sleep with them and make them all pregnant. He knew that it was not what I wanted, he knew that I was just trying to sell him somebody else's idea of what was for the best.

For the best, for whom?

Certainly not Harry's and mine.

Don't worry too much he will try to save the world, he's Harry Potter he won't be able to help himself and I will make sure that you get your donation but finding the mothers is your problem, staying friends with our friends is ours."

She was quiet for a minute and a half then she continued quietly, "I am not really sorry about that outburst but sometimes I get on a rant and it all comes out. So what are you going to do about my parents?"

Elfin gave a wry smile, "Well it wouldn't endear us to Harry very much if we now don't give that which was offered, although it is our way that once offered it should be given. As they say they can't just turn up with green eyes too many people would start to ask questions which they would not want to answer, so as soon as they are ready you and Harry are to bring them to us. I formally give both you and Harry permission to tell them about what is here."

Elfin disappeared and the picture reverted to the island fortress.

Matt was looking around and said, "This is a nice room, very comfortable. Go and find that man of yours and comfort him, I think that he will need it. How about a quiet wedding as soon as possible? Think of minimum numbers."

Leaving the Hideaway her mum gave her a long hug wishing her luck, then Hermione went out of the backdoor looking for her Harry, she thought _'those possessive words again, I like those'_. It didn't take her very long to find him, he was leaning against a tree by a small pond about two hundred yards from the back door and a broom was on the ground beside him.

She walked briskly over and sat down really close to him and he looked up and said to her, "I suppose that I am in trouble."

Her answer was to kiss him soundly then smiling she said, "Never with me and not with Elfin either she actually apologised and said that she was terribly sorry, then she pleaded with me to make sure that you didn't abandon them completely."

With a small smile he asked, "So what did you tell her?"

Now she was happier, "Well after I finished giving her a lecture about dumping all of their troubles on you, I told her that you wouldn't be able to stop yourself saving the world and you can stop grinning you egotistical git."

Now he had a big smile, "Gaia, the Earth Mother wants my babies and is pleading for me to save her world and you tell me not to be flattered, do you know that that is one of the reasons I love you so much?"

He licked her on the nose so she blew a raspberry on his lips that he returned on her neck, matters were quickly getting out of hand so she said, "Anyone looking out of the house can see us you know?"

"So!" was the only answer she received besides a passionate kiss.

"Well I was thinking," she managed when her lips were free.

"I'm stunned!" he said putting his hand to his brow and falling on his back in mock shock, "Hermione (the bookworm is in the library) Granger was thinking, now that is truly amazing, I must Owl the Daily Prophet immed…"

Harry was now being seriously tickled and when she stopped she said, "I was thinking," she was threatening to tickle him again if he interrupted her, "that maybe you should make Gaia pregnant, all of the usual reasons for my objecting don't seem to apply to her and she certainly isn't after stealing you away from me."

Pondering he said, "I'm not sure about her, you know, what is she?"

Hermione was looking puzzled, "What do you mean?"

"Well," he said, "she told us that she has been around since before humans, long before humans, I don't know but have elves been around that long?"

"As surprising as it may be I have been thinking about that as well," the tickle threat was preventing his retort, "and I have all but decided that she might well be more than three million years old, although what form she took originally goodness only knows."

"Yes," he mused, "I kind of get the impression that the elves have been around for a long time as well. Do you really think that I should and why does she need me to get her pregnant, anyway."

She gave Harry a sad smile, "You are so naive sometimes darling, she doesn't just want a baby she wants your baby. You are probably quite correct in thinking that she wouldn't need you to get pregnant, look at her, most guys would leap at the chance of giving her a baby. No, she appears to really like you and she thinks that your children are important enough for her to offer herself as the mother of one of them."

He was looking forlorn again, "So what you are saying is that she believes it is very important for all of these females to have my babies, but the elves won't do it artificially?"

Hermione cuddled him and said, "She can find human girls to have your babies artificially without too many problems and squibs would be an idea, she could offer to make them magical. So as far as I am concerned she is on her own with that part but we don't know anything about elven women, who can we ask that we trust?"

Looking up he said, "Well Mimi is coming, perhaps you should ask her? There is no way that I could ask her that wouldn't risk me getting my face slapped, or worse."

Mimi sat tentatively near to them and said, "We hear that you have had an argument with Gaia and I came to make sure that you are both alright."

Harry looked at her and asked quietly, "Did you come or were you sent?"

The elf giggled, "I thought that it would be Hermione asking me questions like that. You are my friends and if I had been sent I would have told you so. So are you both alright?"

This time Harry smiled and said, "We are both fine, but we were wondering about the elves, how long have they been on the earth?"

She looked very serious, "The original elves looked a lot like house elves with tidier ears, but like a lot of things we evolved to look as we are today and we believe that Gaia was one of the first and she dedicated herself to the welfare of the first elves and later, when they developed, humans. We think that she is about three and a quarter million years old and as far as we know she has never had any children, I believe that they would be greatly honoured if she did."

Hermione asked, "What is it with elves and children? Memo told us that you did not cohabit unless you wanted to make a baby, don't you like children?"

"Elves adore children but we live a very long time," Mimi answered, "and so we must be very careful about multiplying, anyway Memo is my brother so he would never be the father of my child, all of our children have to be sanctioned and it is an honour to be allowed to procreate. Children of elves and humans are generally not sanctioned therefore they are not accepted into our society, we call them half humans. However the children of elves and elf friends are fully accepted, they are generally held in great esteem by everyone and we never use the term half elf, that is a human expression."

Carefully Hermione asked, "Elfin sorry, Gaia has suggested that Harry father some elven children, they wouldn't be outcast then?"

Again Mimi giggled, "As I said they would be held in the highest esteem and probably become our leaders." Then she started speaking very quietly, "It is rumoured that the Earth Mother has asked Harry to give her a child, we have long suspected that she is tired of this existence and wishes to pass on to the next great adventure but she must have an heir before she can leave us." Her voice returned to its normal volume, "To the elves making babies is just that, we try to love everyone that is close to us and sex is only for baby making. It has been suggested that I might be honoured with one of your children Harry; well my attitude towards you and indeed the two of you would not change at all. Our children are raised by a whole loving community and we must be constantly careful not to, as you would say, spoil them rotten." All three of them laughed at the elf's use of this last, very human, expression.

Harry said, "I have heard the expression _'the next great adventure'_, used by the Headmaster, did he get it from the elves?"

"Your Headmaster," she answered, "learned it from Nicolas Flamel who had indeed learned it from the elves, his wife Perenelle was an elf friend and we held both of them in very high regard."

Hermione asked Harry, "Do you think that we should speak with Gaia again darling?"

Mimi became excited, "Do you think that I could meet her please?"

He nodded and held his amulet for a second then he said, "I have just asked her permission and she said that you may so you must hold one of my hands and one of Hermione's." The excited elf did as requested so he held Hermione's amulet and said, "Library."

The three had been sitting in a circle, this was still the case, however they were now on a circular divan in the heart of the library and they were all wearing sarongs, Mimi's was lilac also Gaia was sitting between Harry and Hermione.

Gaia said, "Relax my child, it is you who I judge that will be greatly honoured, without any prompting I believe that through your friendship and honesty you have succeeded where I was failing."

Mimi looked embarrassed and said, "I simply told the truth and explained as best I could. Earth Mother."

Elfin continued, "And you should be forever praised for having done so for all of our benefit. So Harry what is it that you have decided?"

"We have not actually discussed it," he answered, "but if Hermione approves then after we are married and she is pregnant, I will make you and your selected elven ladies pregnant as well, but I am worried about you." Elfin looked surprised but he continued, "You have a vast amount of knowledge and if we were to lose that soon after the probable upheaval of the Earth then we may get into serious difficulties."

Gaia gave him a big smile, "You really do try to think of everyone, don't you?" Harry was blushing but she continued, "It would not really be viable for me to move on for at least two hundred and fifty years, it will take that long to pass on all of my memories and knowledge to our heir.

Now to some slightly more practical aspects, when you both judge the time to be right I suggest that one of us comes to you once a week and that way it should cause minimal interference with your lives." The couple nodded their agreement and she continued, "I wish to be the first but I think that Mimi would like to be the first of the earthly elves."

Mimi was smiling and nodding her head but Hermione asked, "Why Mimi first? I would think that it would be easier for us if it was one of the elves that we didn't know quite so well?"

With a wry smile Harry said, "When we are prepared to allow Mimi into my bed then we are perfectly happy with the whole idea, having those we don't know first is just the easy way out, so the timing is ours."

"I remember," Elfin said, "Hermione telling me that people fail to look past her to see just how perceptive Harry is, well there it is and I couldn't have put it better myself. Now another thing is that elven women can choose the sex of their babies, when the situation is critical then a predetermined sex might be one of the conditions of being allowed to carry a child. At this time there is no particular imbalance between the sexes in our society so free choice will be given to all with the exception of our child, which will have to be female, after all it would be a bit strange if Gaia the Earth Mother was a male."

Harry asked, "If I have no particular preference, is it in order for me to leave that decision entirely to the mother?"

Immediately Mimi, with sparkling eyes, said, "In that case they would all choose to have boys."

"Which in its own way might well be a good thing," said Elfin, "there would be no problem with first cousins and second cousins would still be very east to keep track of. The other thing of course is that they would all want little Harry's, first come first to choose a name and with your permission I would like our daughter's human name to be Harmony."

Hermione and Harry were very happy with Elfin's choice of name.

Their conversation had ended and they all said goodbye to Elfin, immediately they were sat by the pond in the garden of the Potters Place.

The trio sat in contemplative silence for a minute and as they were getting up in a swirl of red and gold Fawkes, the Headmasters Phoenix, arrived with a letter for Harry.

**Authors Note.** I am not going to apologise for the last line, it would be falsehood, because I could easily have left it out and the angst wasn't too bad either was it? So if you enjoyed this chapter **PLEASE REVIEW** it.

**Question**. What do you think is in the letter Fawkes has brought?


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in book six. 

**Authors Note.** Some of you have been waiting for this chapter, I hope that you all enjoy it.

**Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.**

**Chapter 11. One Problem Solved. **

The three of them sat in contemplative silence for a minute and then as they were getting up, in a swirl of red and gold Fawkes, the Headmasters Phoenix, arrived with a letter for Harry.

The letter read.

_To the Lord and Lady of the Light, _

_Please bring Senior Auror Tonks to my office immediately. _

_In haste, _

_A. Bones. M.of M._

Harry said to Hermione, "Kitchen!"

Stood in the kitchen Hermione said, "Do you know where Tonks is please Sur…"

"I'm here!" said Tonks, coming into the kitchen from the Games Room, "What's the problem, I was just going to watch television for a bit?"

He handed her the note and she said, "I must change quickly, I can't go to work like this."

She was wearing something that looked suitable for spending the evening with your lover, or afternoon, definitely not suitable for fighting baddies, Harry took her hand and with Hermione, they were stood outside the door to her room. Tonks disappeared into her room and was out again ready for work in two minutes, Hermione and Harry each took one of her hands, the trio became invisible then went to the Minister's office.

Amelia was sat there quietly waiting with Dumbledore and after a second Harry removed their invisibility.

Dumbledore spoke first, "We have good reason to believe that Voldemort is going to mount an assault on the Ministry in about fifteen minutes."

The minister took over the briefing, "It will be him with virtually all of his Death Eaters, our spy told us at least six hundred and fifty of them. A bakers dozen, Portkey invitation targets have been placed in the entrance auditorium, these will allow their Portkeys to bypass the security wards. What do you suggest we do? I could bring in all of the Aurors if you wanted them?"

Harry thought for a minute then asked, "You know where all of the targets are?" Amelia nodded so he continued, "So we should be in a position to watch them arrive, is there a place where we will be able to see them all?" Amelia said that there was so they all held hands, then they all became invisible and Harry said, "Amelia now you try to _Apparate_ us to the spot."

The quintet had arrived, still invisible, on a dais to one side but in the centre of the atrium, after Hermione had cast a privacy bubble she told them what she had done and that they could talk, so Harry said, "We will remain invisible until after they arrive, but keep your eyes open."

"We don't know who placed the targets." Amelia said.

"Yes we do," said Hermione pointing at the Animagus rat, it was scurrying across the floor to a spot near the centre of the room, "Wormtail, Peter Pettigrew."

Instantly Harry's finger was pointing at the rat but as he lowered his arm he said, "There is no hurry wait and do it properly, when they are all here."

About a minute and a half later there was a whoosh as all of the Portkeys arrived, as Wormtail transformed from his rat form Harry cast his own anti magical transportation ward over the room, effectively stopping anyone leaving. Next he replaced the privacy bubble with a total protection shield.

"_Gwahardd Cyfareddol_." (Inhibit magic) Harry said in a loud voice and then he made the quintet visible_, Mundo Cyfareddol_ was next it was the same spell that they had used in the courtroom to remove the magic from all of the Death Eaters there.

To no avail, upwards of six hundred and fifty Death Eaters were trying to cast spells, a lot of which were unforgivable, at the group, they should of saved their energy.

The Lord of the Light walked over to Voldemort and said, "I am afraid that my last spell will affect you differently to everyone else, it drains magic and when it drains your magic you will be no more, you are not alive you are just a magical assemblage."

Voldemort laughed, "You can not kill me. Only Harry Potter can kill me."

"Didn't we tell you Tom?" Hermione said quite cheerfully as Harry removed their disguises, "The Lord of the Light is Harry Potter and the Lady is his Muggle fiancé, me."

Harry turned to Voldemort and cast the last spell Tom Riddle would ever hear, "_Dal Hanfod_." (Contain essence.)

A golden bubble enclosed the Dark Lord and he screamed until he was no more and all that was left was a grey mist inside the golden bubble that had shrunk until it was the size of a hens egg.

"_Collfarnu hwn Enaid at y Dyfnder_." (Condemn this soul to the Abyss.) Harry said pointing at the egg, which simply disappeared and a great weight seemed to lift off the wizard world.

All this time Death Eaters had been dieing from the outer edges of the crowd and the wave of lifeless bodies was approaching the centre.

Hermione asked Amelia, "Where can we send these corpses?"

The Minister answered grimly, "We placed a cooling charm on Azkaban, all of the other bodies are still there, you can send these to join them."

Now there were only two Death Eaters remaining, Bellatrix Lestrange and Wormtail.

Harry said sadly, "Death is to good for you pair but I am afraid it is all that I have to offer. The clock you can see is counting down by the second, the five days until the moment of your death and you will find that you cannot kill either yourself or each other. You will be able to injure each other but this will only cause you more pain and you will be allowed to roam freely through Azkaban I trust there is something there for you both to eat. Good bye."

The pair disappeared.

Hermione handed Amelia some sheets of parchment and said, "These lists are the names and deeds of the six hundred and fifty three Death Eaters who met their demise here today, even those at the end of the list have committed multiple serious offences against Muggles. Here is the list of those left alive, for obvious reasons we wish to deal with the top two ourselves but we will leave the others up to you."

Harry waved his hand removing the shielding he had placed over the atrium and the Headmaster said, "We should give a statement and copies of these lists to the press and we should also tell them that you two are the Lord and Lady of the Light?"

The couple agreed but before he had finished hundreds of witches and wizards were streaming into the building and surrounding the quintet who had made their way back up onto the dais near the centre of the room. It was understandable that the people were gathering around the quintet obviously waiting for some kind of an announcement from them.

Amelia was the Minister for Magic and she stepped forward, "Today Harry Potter has done it for us all, again! Voldemort is gone, this time permanently."

She had to stop for about five minutes before she could be heard above the cheering, then she continued, "But that doesn't mean that there isn't another who wishes to take his place so we must be ever watchful, to quote Professor Dumbledore, 'we must do what is right not what is easy'. We wish to take this opportunity to inform you that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are the Lord and Lady of the Light and the actions of today and Friday are their doing."

All of the cheering was deafening and after another five minutes Harry stepped forward, there was absolute silence, "Thank you every one, but what are you all doing here?" he asked and they looked confused, "You should all be home partying."

There were more tumultuous cheers and eventually the people started heading out of the building that is with the exception of about fifty of the younger females who were making their way towards the dais with Susan and Daphne leading them.

It was fifteen minutes and a promise of a party starting at ten the next morning in Hogwarts grounds, before the gathering broke up; even then they were left with Amelia's two determined nieces.

Hermione said, "You need to call a Press conference and we need to rest, do you need us?"

"Everything will be a lot better if you are there," the Headmaster said, "after all you two are the stars of the show."

Dejectedly Harry asked, "Where will it be?"

Amelia told him, "There is a small Press conference room near to my office and it will only take ten minutes to organise so you two can have five minutes in my private resting room before hand if you want."

With a small smile Hermione answered holding out her hands, "Let's go up to your office then and that will be fine."

When the determined pair realised that the others were holding Hermione's hands they both grabbed one of Harry's hands, he had to tell them that they had to hold someone else's hand as well and they all arrived safely in Amelia's Office.

Susan said, "I thought that it wasn't possible to Apparate in the Ministry?"

"Quite correct." the Headmaster said.

"But…" Susan started but then her aunt cut her off, "Don't even ask, you will not receive an answer."

There was no easy way to prise the determined hands away from Harry's but eventually they succeeded and the couple went into Amelia's private resting room.

x-x

First it was twice around the running track that was four miles and it released some of the pent up stress then an hour playing in the pool it could not be called swimming but it could definitely be called playing. This was followed by a nice meal, for which Elfin joined them, she ate a little but mainly it was to make sure they weren't suffering any ill effects from what they had to do in the Ministry. Next it was ten hours in bed only seven of which were spent sleeping, a shower and a light breakfast followed this, then they were ready to return to the Minister's resting room.

x-x

As they did this kind of thing more often it was becoming easier, for them it would have been a relaxing twelve plus hours but for Tonks it had only been five minutes.

Quietly she said, "You look well rested?"

To them it was obviously a question and Hermione answered as they were coming out of the Ministers room, "Yes we are thank you, is everything ready?"

It was Amelia who answered, "Yes, except that we will have to be in the main Press briefing room on the ground floor, the reporters have been flooding in from all over the world. I suppose that it is only natural."

Harry held one of Tonks hands and then took one of Hermione's and said, "Ok, who is going to take us there?"

The others joined hands with a pair of disgruntled cousins between the Headmaster and Amelia who guided them all to a small room behind the podium of the Pressroom.

As they came out on to the stage and sat on the chairs that were there for them they noticed that the room was already about half full with a good cross section of reporters. But when someone by the door realised that Harry and company were already inside there was a stampede, it was more like a pop concert than a news conference with young reporters of both sexes jostling and standing five or six deep in front of the stage.

Amelia went to the lectern and made a simple announcement to the audience, "Until you are all sitting there will be no Press conference, and if you are not all sitting within two minutes then we will all leave."

There was a mad scramble for seats and in less than their allotted two minutes the reporters were all seated.

Amelia spoke again, "Thank you all very much for coming and for sitting properly.

I assume that you would all like to know what transpired in the Ministry today, well quite simply Voldemort attacked us at three o'clock this afternoon and thanks to excellent intelligence we were expecting him. By three thirty he and over six hundred and fifty of his followers, Death Eaters, that were with him were no more, he is gone, finished, no more call it what you will."

A female voice from the reporters said, "You never told us that he V. Voldemort, is dead."

Much to her relief Harry and Hermione joined Amelia at the lectern and Harry said, "You cannot kill something that is not alive and to all intents and purposes Voldemort was not alive, we will only get a load of questions so I will try to explain what I mean.

A little over a year ago I watched Wormtail enact an ancient black magic ritual for Voldemort it involved bone of his father, flesh of a follower and blood of an enemy, my blood. The magic bound these things together and produced what appeared to be a body for his essence to inhabit, strictly speaking it was not alive, it was simply bound and operated by magic.

Today I contained that essence whilst I unravelled the magical binding of his body then I sent his essence to the Abyss, I don't think that he enjoyed it very much. You will not be told how five of us dealt with the menace that was presented to the wizarding world today, Professor Dumbledore, Senior Auror Tonks and the Minister were there together with Hermione and myself."

Once more Amelia took up the briefing, "You will all have noticed that the emphasis has changed with the removal of a Death Eater from my current position, my personal belief is that if you are a Death Eater you deserve to die, well now that belief is official. I am very lucky that since I took over Hermione and Harry, also known as the Lord and Lady of the Light have been by my side helping with the cause of peace. One more thing on the subject of Death Eaters, there are nineteen remaining, we know who they are and rest assured they will be dealt with, soon."

With no further news forthcoming the news conference didn't last very much longer, all personal questions to either Hermione or Harry were either ignored or deflected, none were answered and so the reporters left to file their stories.

Reflectively Amelia said, "If we try to get out through the atrium it will be a nightmare, we're likely to get mobbed."

Hermione smiled and said, "Let's go back into the waiting room and we will take us all out of here, where would you like to go?"

The party made their way back into the small room at the back of the stage and the pair of disgruntled cousins each grabbed one of Harry's hands as smiling the others all linked up.

With a twinkle in his eyes the Headmaster said, "Well really I would like to go to my office in Hogwarts, but…"

Professor McGonagall was sat quietly reading in front of the fireplace in the Headmaster's office when the seven arrived, for the first time in thirty years she dropped her book, you could say that she was surprised.

Looking at the Headmaster quite severely she said, "For the last hour and a half I have been getting the most ridiculous questions from all sorts of people, what on earth is going on? Also since we put those new wards up you shouldn't be able to use a Portkey so how did you all get here?"

"Second question first," the twinkling Headmaster said, "Hermione and Harry _Apparated_ us here and as for the answer to the first question you might as well read about it in the special edition of the Daily Prophet which is just arriving. Although I would suggest that you sit down first."

As the Deputy Headmistress took the newspaper and sat down, Harry was having a real problem, neither Susan nor Daphne had been in the Headmaster's office before and they were both trying to look all around without letting go of his hand.

Amelia saw his plight and said, "Girls! Let go of Harry's hands."

Stereo, "Bu…"

"Now!"

Harry was relieved to be free and he went over to stroke his friend Fawkes, the Headmaster's pet Phoenix, who to the girls delight started singing as Harry was petting him.

Professor McGonagall let out a whoop and said, "So it's virtually all over then?"

The Headmaster agreed but Harry said, "So I can leave the problem of Mephisto Malfoy to you then?"

Minerva was bemused, "Who is Mephisto Malfoy?"

The bookworm was off, "He was born about three hundred and eighty years ago and his original name was Cresco but he changed it after he had been missing for about thirty years…"

She told the teachers the whole story that the others had heard before but added, "Harry thinks that Mephisto Malfoy is the real Dark Lord and all of these others who have been around for the last few hundred years have simply been his front men, so to speak."

Daphne was looking worried, "So just how powerful is he," she asked?

Harry answered, "Very powerful."

"If he cast a single spell that changed all of the elves to house elf slaves," the Headmaster said, "then he is very, very powerful."

"I can cast a single spell that will change all of them back again," Harry said in quite a matter of fact manner, "and when I do, it is going to upset him slightly, well in reality probably quite a lot. We think that a good bit of his power is tied up in the elves and when I change them he will probably come for me straight away figuring that I will be drained, but he doesn't know about Hermione.

Yet.

Her job will be to make sure that he doesn't hurt anyone else."

"As I see it, my main task Mr Potter." Hermione said in her, 'this isn't up for negotiation' voice. "Will be to make sure that you stay alive and to protect everyone else as well."

From his demeanour it appeared that Harry hadn't heard her and he said, "We should be getting on, so where would you like to go Amelia?"

When Harry had started asking his question two girls had grabbed his hands and smiling Amelia answered, "Would it be too much trouble for you to take us home please?"

The other three held hands with them and after saying goodbye to the professors Harry nodded to Amelia and the party disappeared.

_The Deputy Headmistress said, "I'm glad they're on our side." _

_The Headmaster could only agree with her. _

Neither Hermione nor Harry had been to Amelia's house previously and from what they could see of it, it looked very comfortable but none of the three were in the mood to hang around for long so after a polite goodbye they left.

_Susan whinged, "Why did they leave so quickly?" _

_Amelia laughed out loud, fifteen years in MLE had taught her that sometimes it is better to tell it as it is, "Try thinking with your head's instead of your knickers. Harry and Hermione are very obviously boyfriend and girlfriend," both of the girls were shocked at the language, but however much they didn't want to, they did have to agree with the sentiment, "but if he was the boyfriend of one of you, would you hang around here with you pair carrying on the way you have been since you first set eyes on him this afternoon?" _

_Looking sheepish both of the girls said sorry to their aunt and Daphne told her that they would write a letter apologising to Hermione and Harry. _

_Aunt Amelia looked sorry for the girls and said, "Ginny Weasley is coming to your birthday party talk to her about it, I have it on good authority that she has been hopelessly in love with Harry for five years, to make things worse, he saved her life three years ago. Like killed a Basilisk also a reincarnation of Voldemort saved her life and somehow she still manages to stay friends with both of them." _

"_I talked with her a bit at the house elves party the other evening," Daphne said sadly, "she warned me to just hold back and be friends with him or he would just avoid me." _

"_It sometimes pays to have six brothers." Amelia said as the cousins were going to write their letter. _

The trio arrived back in the entrance hall of the Potters Place to what resembled chaos.

Wrong.

It was chaos.

Grabbing Jiffs as she went whizzing past Harry asked, "What on earth is going on?"

Instead of answering him she shouted, "The heroes are home," and then she flung her arms around Harry and hugged him, she followed this by hugging both Hermione and Tonks.

By this time there was a huge crowd around them, which comprised elves, house elves and humans, Harry looked around then said, "Jemma, here now."

Jemma came proudly forward and said, "Welcome Harry, Hermione and Tonks you are all heroes."

Harry had a feeling that he was going to lose but he asked anyway, "What are you doing?"

The elf smiled and said, "We are having a victory party, for you three. Heroes."

He could see Ginny, Ron and several others standing well back waiting for his reaction, they knew that it didn't pay to upset the most powerful wizard in the world, they were only slightly relieved when he asked, "Who said that we should have a party?"

Jemma beamed, "It was our friend Jane," Jane cringed, "who is soon going to be your mother in law and she was the most senior one here for me to ask."

Harry shrugged his shoulders and disappeared.

If they had started with chaos well it had now become pandemonium, where had Harry gone, nobody had any idea and then fifteen minutes later he reappeared with company. Harry had brought Mad Eye Moody, Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Dumbledore and together with Amelia, Susan and Daphne, the last two looked like they were only half ready.

Everybody was so happy to see Harry return that nobody said anything to him, this of course was with the exception of Hermione who in a very dangerous sickly sweet tone asked, "And so what was that all about then, Mr Potter?"

His green eyes looked into hers so she could see the truth in his words when he said, "If I had stayed here another minute I might well of blown the house up, so I went to talk to the headmaster and he told me to go and enjoy the party that my mother in law had arranged for me. So here I am."

She kissed him then said, "Another reason I love you, we had better go and get changed for the party."

A large crowd went up the main staircase to prepare for the festivities; Hermione and Mimi went to Hermione's room, Tonks went to her room and Remus who wanted to know everything that had happened was following her. Ginny took Daphne and Susan to her room to complete their preparations and the way they were giggling Harry who was going to his room didn't want to know what or who they were talking about. Trailing along behind were Molly, Arthur, Luna, Ron, Matt, Jane and Amelia. Mad Eye Moody and the professors were taken into the party room by some of the elves that had already been converted.

All in all the party was excellent and in the most part Harry enjoyed it until they came to the part where all of the single women decided that they should give Harry a congratulatory kiss. Eventually he said, "Ginny, is that the forth time?"

"No," she said smiling, "It was the fifth, Susan and Daphne will be along for their fifth ones soon as well."

**Authors Note.** We are moving inexorably towards the conclusion of this tale that has travelled to places I hadn't dreamed of when I started writing it. So if you have enjoyed it **PLEASE REVIEW** it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself future books. 

**Authors Note.** So eventually we reach the climax of this story. If you want to keep up with what I am writing add me to your authors alert list, I am still posting on two stories, 'Love is All You Need' and 'Love Conquers All'.

**Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.**

**Chapter 12. The End Game. **

There was to be another party today, this one would be at Hogwarts, it had been promised the previous day, as a panacea to a hoard of girls in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic but a whole lot of other people had heard about it.

When they arrived there it was chaos.

Hermione and Harry had only been at the party on the lawn in front of Hogwarts for about five minutes when they started to panic, for them it was a lot easier to deal with Death Eaters than overtly amorous young people. With their second wave of panic there came a golden glow as the couple were surrounded by eight of the ten elven warriors and there was no mistaking the fact that they were warriors, notwithstanding the fact that they were all female.

The elves acted as an honour guard and accompanied the couple towards the Headmaster, who appeared to be in a strained conversation with Professor Snape, quietly Harry simply said, "Snape your life is forfeit."

Incongruously Snape laughed and he said, "Your little tricks don't frighten me."

Seriously Harry replied, "I wouldn't of thought it possible but you are proving yourself even more of a self opinionated, arrogant fool than I have always believed you to be."

Snape's wand flashed out and then slowly floated up in the air out of his reach, so Harry said, "There will be no foolish wand waving here today."

A large crowd were being held back but most of them had suffered at the hands of Snape and they wanted to know what was going on.

Then, indicating a group of about a dozen people, Hermione said, "Who are these people? Put the fool to sleep and help me to check them out."

Harry put Snape to sleep but before going to Hermione he went to the Headmaster and placing his hands on either side of the Professor's head for about ten seconds Harry revived him, for which he was thanked. Then Dumbledore rested for a few minutes.

Next he went to his love and started checking out the suspects and he said, "These are all under very powerful concealment charms, which we will have to break through."

"Why bother?" Hermione asked, "They are obviously up to no good so if we remove their magic, their concealment charms will dissipate, even if they were set by someone else, won't they?"

He smiled at her, "Still remembering everything, of course they will."

So they moved the sleeping Snape and lined the twelve up, then they drained the magic from all of them and sure enough their concealment charms disappeared. Now revealed, they were left with ten of the remaining condemned Death Eaters, Snape and Draco Malfoy.

None of the onlookers realised what had happened when they had drained all of the life from the ten sleeping Death Eaters and when this was done they sent their bodies to Azkaban.

Next it was Snape's turn so they revived him, immediately he became obnoxious, "You stupid little mud…" He was never to utter another word, the recovered Headmaster had cast a permanent mute spell on him.

Hermione was incensed with Snape, "You are the lowest, most despicable form of life imaginable and for years you have inflicted your own perverted mental torture on helpless, defenceless children whilst glorifying the Death Eater Spawn. Well your reign misused power of has ended as of now. The clock you will see continuously before you is counting down in five second intervals the remaining ten days of your evil existence, your cohorts will tell you the rules when you reach your accommodation." With that she banished him to join Bellatrix and Pettigrew in Azkaban.

"I don't think you liked him too much, did you Hermione." Amelia had arrived with Tonks and Kingsley.

Hermione looked grim, "It gave me no pleasure to do that to the evil swine and I don't believe that the punishment was a tenth of what he deserved."

Harry had been kneeling beside Draco with a hand on Draco's temple, he suddenly stood and said, "I am sorry Amelia I must free the House Elves now." He raised his hands to the heavens and proclaimed in a loud voice, _"Rhyddhau holl coblyn wrth caethiwed!_" (Free all elves from bondage.)

A golden light shot skywards from Harry's hands and rapidly spread out gaining speed as it went, Hermione rushed to Harry and placed her hands on his cheeks then she closed her eyes in concentration.

He lowered his arms and held her amulet, "Library," he whispered.

x-x

Elfin was waiting for them but as it turned out she wasn't needed particularly for Harry because within sixty seconds he had recovered fully, thanks to his well organised reserves of magic and Hermione adding her magical power to his.

"If you are this well what are we doing here?" Hermione asked him.

He gave her the smile and said, "Well it seemed like a good idea at the time but if you would like to go straight back without making love for a few days then we can. Come frigid wench."

She pushed him onto the bed and started tickling him, "Wench yes, frigid, no way."

Elfin thought it best that she leave discreetly.

It was eighteen hours later when she decided that the couple were eating and it was relatively safe for a while, but Hermione had not been lying, she definitely was not frigid.

The couple took their time to learn some new defensive shields and some containment barriers these could be cast around a person; the only problem with them was that the target remained inside the barrier with his spell. If the barrier was being used against the kind of magic it was designed for then the target being in there with their creation meant that they were generally, very dead.

After the couple had been there for three days they decided that it was time they should be going back to Hogwarts.

x-x

Several things were happening at once, a stream of elves came pouring out of the castle, an army of elves materialised in the grounds they started forming a cordon around Harry and Hermione then lastly Mephisto Malfoy arrived.

The situation had become extremely dangerous and so the cordon reorganised itself pushing the onlookers back, away from the protagonists.

As we already know Harry was fully recovered, he and Hermione having been to the library for three days but he fell to the floor feigning exhaustion and his love moved close to the Headmaster, saying very quietly, "Question him, try to keep him talking but be very careful of Cresco Malfoy he is extremely powerful."

However the Malfoy appeared to be in a lot of pain and somewhat disorientated, he didn't realise that Harry was draining both his life and magical reserves as rapidly as he could but both were immense and it was going to take time. Voldemort's as powerful as he was, took only seconds to drain, Mephisto Malfoy's was going to take a few minutes

Hermione quietly cast two spells at Mephisto, _'Dwelld gwir,'_ which was the truth charm and _'Brolio,'_ which would make him brag when he started talking then she started aiding Harry. However it was a very dangerous period and both of them were watching the evil old Malfoy very carefully.

The Headmaster asked, "How did you become so powerful?"

Surprisingly Mephisto laughed, "Voldemort was a gullible fool, brilliantly I invented the 'Advada Kedavra' curse and I taught it to the idiot. From then on everybody he or his Death Eaters killed with it I took their magic and their life force that's why the Death Eaters had to have the Dark Mark, to feed the power through Voldemort to me. I had visited 'Nooma' over three hundred years ago and with him I gained immense power so when I came back I stole the Weasleys money and land."

He continued his tale, "After that I enslaved the elves and turned them into House Elves I took all of their lands as well as their freedom and on their Great Homeland I built the magnificent Malfoy Manor." He laughed again and it would be the last time he laughed in this world although he would live another fifteen years with the elves.

Again Professor Dumbledore asked, "When you arrived here you appeared to be in pain? Why was that?"

Mephisto winced, "Because that foolish little boy wrenched my control of the elves from me suddenly but I will recover quicker than he will and then you will all pay dearly. I will enjoy being the Headmaster of Hogwarts and teaching the darkest of the Dark Arts here."

"That will only happen over our dead bodies." Harry had spoken very quietly as he slowly staggered to his feet beside Hermione, they were wearing their Lord and Lady suits without the masks and they were radiating power and goodness.

Being an elf friend Ginny had been allowed to pass through the cordon of elves and she had come to stand beside Hermione.

Ginny asked, "Do you have any more children?"

Mephisto Malfoy glowered at her but he stood and answered, "A Weasley brat. Why pray do I need more children? Draco will carry my line in this world and I am going to live forever. Enough of this foolish banter!" He screamed, "It is time to be done with all of you, _'Advada Kedavra'_."

Instantly the curse raced towards the Headmaster but Harry put his hand out and said, _'Accio'_.

The curse changed direction and came to Harry's hand and the beam coming from the old wizard continued to flow but its colour changed from green to silver. The Lord had started to weaken from the strain but Hermione raised her hand and drew half of the flow away from Harry.

Suddenly the magic stopped flowing and the deed was done.

As old as he was, he started crying like a spoiled little child, "What have you done you foolish children?"

Then, even though he was tired, Harry pronounced Mephisto Malfoy's doom, "We have removed all of your magic and at the request of the elves, as you can see from the clock now before your eyes we have left you with only fifteen years of your stolen life, which you will spend with the elves paying for your crimes against them."

Cresco Malfoy was stood immobile as Ginny spoke, "From your own mouth you admit to having greatly wronged my family and so this is something for you Malfoys to remember the Weasleys by." She pointed her wand first at Mephisto and then at Draco, she cast the same charm on each of them, _'Briw gwydr ffolen'_.

Harry and Hermione were grinning but the Headmaster asked, "What was that Miss Weasley?"

She smiled sweetly, "Hermione taught it to me she calls it 'Glass Arse,' if you try to sit it makes you think that you are sitting on broken bottles and it is permanent."

Next Harry revived Draco, who winced as he sat up, then he quickly stood and was looking at the ground where he had been sitting but of course he could see nothing that would have caused him the pain in his nether regions.

A scuffle had broken out at the edge of the cordon and Narcissa Malfoy was escorted through by two elves, who brought her before them; she fell on her knees before the Headmaster saying, "I swear that I knew nothing of this vile creatures doings." She was pointing at the elder Malfoy.

Harry bent and took one of her hands saying kindly, "Stand Narcissa Black, we believe you and you have without doubt suffered enough."

In his normal supercilious manner Draco said, "Mother how could you…" Harry waved his hand and the timbre of Draco's voice changed to resemble that of a house elf, "…associating with these lowly…" he stopped because he realised that his voice had gone squeaky and everybody was suddenly laughing at him.

Hermione smiled, _'Diffrwythioni,'_ (sterilize) she cast on both of the Malfoys then she cast _'Briw gwydr cals'_ on Draco alone saying, "The second one is something personal to remember me by, every time you pass water it will be like broken bottles." Needless to say the ferret didn't look happy. She concluded, "As far as I am concerned the elves can have the pair of them now."

For the first time since her reprieve Narcissa spoke she handed Harry her wand and asked, "May I please do one thing?" Harry nodded so she walked up to Draco and slapped him very hard across the face then she came back to retrieved her wand then she said, "Thank you so much, you don't know how long I have wanted to do that, the major part of twelve years under the _'Imperius,'_ curse with a pair of self centred pigs breeds a lot of hatred." She kissed Harry on the cheek and stood back.

The kiss had generated quite a bit of jealous muttering from a lot of the girls watching them from the crowd.

"It is time for me to tell you your fate, Draco." Harry said loud enough for everyone to hear. "For years you have gloried in persecuting the Weasleys in the full knowledge of what your family had done to them in the past. So on the anniversary of this date any of the Weasleys is free to come and enact on your person any punishment they think fitting, Ron and the twins might be especially inventive. You have five years plus one day to live as you can see from the clock counting down before your eyes, this time you will spend in the custody of the elves and they will aid you in atoning for your crimes against them with your Great Grandfather."

He turned to the elves and said, "They are yours, take them away please." Four elves separated themselves from the cordon and each taking an arm of one of the Malfoys they all disappeared.

Amelia sighed, "It's over."

Ginny looked puzzled and asked, "Why five years and one day?"

Harry answered, "If he had five years on this day in five years time he would die, but this way in five years time on this day he will have his day of penitence for the Weasleys and then he will die the following day."

Ginny understood and said, "So we will have five days to make him regret his actions against us."

Then Harry created a large, translucent, silver bubble enclosing them and in it were a dozen comfortable chairs together with three sofas in an irregular circle. He and Hermione flopped onto one of the sofas and Ginny sat with them.

Harry said, "So that's it then, all of the wizard world's really bad guys accounted for." He sighed with relief and then he asked, "Moro could you ask a few of your people to control who comes and goes from the bubble the rest of them should go and party for a while."

Moro said, "Certainly Harry although I already know that our king wishes to come and join us."

"Your king!" Hermione exclaimed, "I didn't know that you even had a King, of course he can come immediately."

As Moro went out Mimi came in, the couple stood to greet her but shyly she kissed Harry on the cheek then she said to Hermione in a friendly scolding sort of voice, "Your hair is a mess and the king is coming."

"The King is here and I am sure that I don't mind how much of a mess Miss Hermione's hair is." The couple turned to see whom had spoken, the king was the tallest and most regal elf they had yet seen, Harry started to bow and Hermione started to curtsey but the king of the elves stopped them saying, "The Lord and Lady of the light bow to no one for they are the most honoured among us and from this day forward I plight the troth of all elf kind to you and yours. Might I call you Harry and Hermione please, my name is Dui-y-Bei but you might call me Dobby, Mr Harry Potter Sir."

The couple were speechless with wonder and the three just hugged each other, laughing and crying tears of joy.

One of the elf guards came in holding Amelia's nieces, "I have been having great difficulty with these two outside, what should I do with them?"

Amelia said, "You two again, what should I do with the pair of you?"

The Headmaster had a relaxed smile and suggested, "We have some very miserable and damp dungeons you could borrow Minister?"

The Minister's eyes were smiling, "So, what do you two have to say for yourselves?"

Daphne said, "On behalf of our houses we wanted to congratulate Harry on…"

Susan interrupted, "And Hermione."

"Of course and Hermione," added Daphne, "on his, no their magnificent achievement."

Hermione was smiling, "These congratulations of yours, they wouldn't include trying to snog Harry to death, would they?"

"Well," said Susan, shuffling her feet and looking down, "we thought that might not hurt, for our Houses of course."

To everyone's amazement Harry stood up and said, "That's a very good idea girls. Come on."

Harry took the girls hands and started to lead them out of the bubble.

Daphne stopped him and asked, "Where are you taking us?"

"Well," said Harry with a smile, "I was going to tell everyone just what you have unselfishly offered to do on behalf of your Houses and then ask for a volunteer from Ravenclaw to selflessly provide the same service on behalf of their House."

"If you tell them all that they'll murder us!" squeaked Susan, "Slowly and painfully."

Daphne was both contrite and apologetic, "It sounded like such a good idea when we thought of it."

Amelia, Hermione and Harry had collapsed in fits of laughter whilst the Headmaster chuckling said, "Hoisted by your own petard, I believe the Muggle saying is."

Everyone except Hermione looked at the Headmaster confused and she just chortled then said, "It means, 'blown up by your own bomb," now they looked at Hermione confused, "your scheme backfired onto you." From the tone of her voice everyone knew that that was the last bit of help she was going to give on the subject, however now they all understood and the two girls were smiling sheepishly.

Hermione asked, "Headmaster, what was going on with you and Snape? You seemed to be struggling when we arrived?"

Pondering for a moment Professor Dumbledore answered, "He must have cast a spell on me from behind because when I first saw him it was already working, he was trying to close my brain down and then you both came. I believe that I was winning however what would have happened if the senior Malfoy had arrived I do not know."

Harry told him, "It wasn't you or us Mephisto was coming, it was nothing to do with anything we did, I took the information out of Draco's head. That is why I had to free the house elves immediately, we had a strong suspicion that they were tied into his mind, although we didn't know how; for that matter we still don't know how."

"When I changed the elves," he continued, "it did not weaken him so much as it caused him pain and threw him off his guard, that allowed us to start draining his power. Before we confronted him we had enough reserve magical power to rebuild Hogwarts three or four times if it had been completely destroyed, now we could rebuild it twenty times and not be able to identify the change in the level of our reserves of magical power. If it had been open confrontation it is most likely that the world would not have survived especially if Mephisto thought that he was losing and in a suicidal attempt to redress the balance released all of his stored magical reserves."

Amelia asked, "What do you intend doing about the Muggles problems?"

Straight away Hermione answered, "Unless there is a dire threat to world peace then really we don't want to know, there are over three hundred and fifty thousand Muggles on their red list in Britain and Europe and we two are not going to attempt to sort them out. We could supply lists of all of their criminals to the relevant authorities and who did what to whom and when but I don't think that it would be a very good idea since a good percentage of the people on the list are politicians. Immediately there would be too many questions of the where did those lists come from variety and even you don't know the answer to that."

Dumbledore spoke, "It is not even that Hermione and Harry won't tell you their source, they are magically bound and they cannot tell you their source.

"I think that we should be going." Harry said fairly quietly to Hermione, "If we try to go out side to the party, there will be a riot, I have a feeling that we will have to disappear from the world for a while or we will not have a minute's peace, especially if people know where we are." He turned to the others and said, "We are going first to the Potters Place and we will see you all sometime in the future."

The couple disappeared.

x-x-x

**A SHORT EPILOGUE. **

Some weeks later it was discovered that the couple had first gone to the Potters Place and then to Babilon, which was the traditional home of his family and the library in the house had been sealed. The friends who had been coming and going while the couple were there were still free to stay at the Potters Place as and when they wished. Lodi and Suria stayed with the house also other elves came as needed to help with the upkeep, they informed everyone that the other four elves had decided to go with the Lord and Lady to look after them also Myrddin was missing from his frame in the study.

A little later it transpired that Harry had bought an abandoned village and the valley in the middle Exmoor that it was located in, Hermione christened the place Doon Valley, from one of her favourite childhood stories. An area of repellent charms surrounded the valley, these didn't only work on Muggles they worked on uninvited magical people as well, if you weren't invited then you didn't find the valley.

On the surface the village had been rebuilt with the addition of several new houses, however the majority of the work had gone on underground where a complete, vast complex of scientific research facilities had been built.

Within six months Hermione's parents had left the Muggle world and come to live in the village with Tonks and the few others, mainly elven who were already living there. The elves had enlisted the dwarves to carry out the majority of the underground laboratory excavation, which was being planned and overseen by Jane and Matt.

Shortly after the couple disappeared Ginny, Susan and Daphne each received personal letters from Harry and Hermione with suggestions as to which NEWTS they should take. This came together with a commitment to each of them regarding their long term working relationship with the Lord and Lady. The three girls were included in the dozen or so humans who attended the couples wedding three months after the battle of Hogwarts.

The wedding took place at Godric's Hollow, it was officiated over by the King of the Elves and the Chief Warlock, the party afterwards was truly magical and it continued for three days and nights. For the first time that anyone could remember Harry seemed to really enjoy the festivities and he didn't disappear a couple of hours after the party had started. But the biggest shock and also to everybody's complete surprise Gaia attended both the wedding and the subsequent party, she told everyone that the world needed to become a more enlightened place.

A small army of elves, who had been recruited at the wedding, had been taken to the Library to study with Elfin; phase two of the four-phase plan had begun. Subsequently their first task was to scour all of the schools, universities, research facilities and such like, seeking out the open-minded talented individuals to aid with the couples major task. A major part of the lure bringing people to Doon Valley was the promise of a virtually bottomless research budget, if you thought that something might help you then you had it. Much to the couples surprise the facility turned out to be self-funding after eighteen months and with the marketing some of their new technology inventions it ran at a vast profit after only four years.

The major catalyst in the technological and scientific leap forward was the integration of magic into the high end of physics and astro-physics. It is difficult to defend a three-dimensional universe theory when you are stood in a room of requirements that will be whatever or wherever you want it to be.

Amongst the inhabitants of Doon Valley it was strongly rumoured that there were three other facilities like it around the globe, the rumour was wrong there were none or six, it depended upon how you looked at it. No two were the same but they all were charged with the same task, that of preserving certain essential aspects of modern life and technology, for after the devastation that was certain to occur in the relatively near future.

At the time of the upheaval there were twenty-two young Potters and most of them were elven, after the cataclysm the order of the day changed for everyone because now it was the duty of everybody to multiply. What remained of the earth was severely under populated, what remained of the previous landmasses was virtually devoid of animal and vegetable life and that imbalance needed to be rectified.

The future was preserved; just how this was accomplished is not within the remit of this Epilogue to expound.

**The End. **

Well that is the end of 'Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.' To continue, as you can see from the Epilogue, will require another book, which would be both AU and Sci-Fi. I am not sure that I am prepared to write it at all and certainly not before the release of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, only you can tell me if there would be any interest in such a tale?

I have, in the main enjoyed writing this wandering tale that did not go anywhere near where I intended when I started writing it. I thank all of you who have taken the time to review and tell me what you think of my efforts.

If you need something else to read I am currently posting my story called 'Love Conquers All' at the rate of one chapter every two days, it will be finished just before book six is released.

**TTFN. UdderPD.**


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